It has become one of the defining images of the .
At every Norway match, thousands of supporters sit down in perfect unison before mimicking the movement of Viking oars to the thunderous cry of "Ro!". In just a few weeks, the Viking Row has swept across North American stadiums, taken over social media and captured the imagination of football fans around the world.
From elevators in Boston and Times Square to a New York Mets game and even the Norwegian Parliament, the phenomenon has spread far beyond the terraces. Led by captain Martin Odegaard, Norway's players have embraced the celebration too, turning it into the symbol of the nation's return to the global stage for the first time since 1998.
Watching the perfectly choreographed display, it would be easy to assume the tradition has existed for decades. In reality, it is remarkably new.
The story began in December 2025, when Ole Froystad – now affectionately known as "Mr Row Row" – came up with a chant inspired by Viking rowing.
"It's so much fun to see people come together and row as one. It creates a real sense of unity," he recently told Inside FIFA. "The Viking Row has become far bigger than I ever imagined. It's absolutely crazy."
The idea was soon picked up by Norway's official supporters' group, who transformed it into the ritual now seen around the world.
"It all started with Ole's idea," explained Torstein Hamran, a board member of supporters' club Oljeberget Supporterklubb. "Then we developed it together. We even recorded a song called Viking Blood, which was released at the end of March and features the Viking Row in the background. Today it's one of the biggest songs in Norway."
The first attempt came during a goalless draw against Switzerland in Oslo at the end of March, although few could have predicted what was to come.
"Some people loved it, while others thought it looked a bit silly," Torstein recalled with a smile. "We had never tried it before and it wasn't particularly impressive at the time."
The real breakthrough came in early June during a 3-1 friendly victory over Sweden.
This time, the supporters left nothing to chance. An instructional video explaining the choreography was shared on social media, a handcrafted Viking horn was introduced to signal the start of the ritual, and the crowd fully embraced it.
"The day after, Ole and our capo both told me, 'This is going to be huge.' They were right. Ever since then, all the attention has been on the Viking Row."
While the Viking Row looks spontaneous, every step is carefully coordinated.
As soon as the Viking horn sounds, thousands of supporters know it is time to sit down.
"Standing is the natural thing for football supporters, so asking everyone to sit is actually the hardest part," Torstein explained. "But everyone has to be seated for the rowing movement to work properly."
That is where he takes centre stage.
"I stand in front of the stand with my drum. I strike it twice, then we begin the chant. It's the pauses that build all the tension before the explosion."
As the tournament has progressed, the choreography has become even more refined. Two drums are now used to synchronise supporters when they are spread across different sections of the stadium.
Before long, Norway's players made the celebration their own, performing the Viking Row with the fans after every victory.
"When the players started doing it with us after wins, that's when we realised something special was happening," Torstein said proudly.
Following Norway's 2-1 Round of 32 victory over Côte d'Ivoire, one moment perfectly captured the connection between players and supporters.
"The players wanted my drum," Torstein laughed. "I had to run across several sections of the stadium to get it to them. I bought that little second-hand drum back in 2023, and now it's famous all over the world. After the match, everyone wanted to have their picture taken with it."
"Hearing people shouting 'Ro!' through the streets of New York was incredible," admitted Froystad. "It was one of the greatest moments of my life. The other was against Senegal, when the players sat down and performed the Viking Row perfectly in sync with the supporters. I almost cried. It was extraordinary."
Like Iceland's famous Viking clap at UEFA EURO 2016 and the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018™, the Viking Row has become much more than a terrace tradition.
"Supporters from other countries absolutely love it," said Torstein. "We've even done the Viking Row with them before and after matches. That's what a World Cup is all about – people from different countries coming together and sharing moments like these."
On Sunday at New York New Jersey Stadium, Norway's supporters will be rowing in a sea of yellow.
Against five-time world champions Brazil, they are expected to be heavily outnumbered, but that does not concern Torstein. At 30 years old, he had never seen Norway play at a World Cup before this summer.
"I was only two years old when Norway last qualified. I've waited my whole life for this moment. Now we're playing Brazil in the Round of 16. It almost doesn't feel real."
Whatever happens against the Seleção, one thing is already certain: the Viking Row has given Norway one of the most unforgettable stories of the this World Cup.
Sources: FIFA Official
