Vikings in the outfield? Norwegian fans flock to Cubs-Mets game

NEW YORK -- It didn’t take long for Norway’s faithful fans to find the next destination to keep the party going.

After taking in their national team’s historic World Cup victory over Senegal on Monday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. -- a 3-2 win that saw Norway advance to the knockout stage for the first time in the soccer tournament since 1998 -- a legion of fans descended upon Citi Field on Wednesday to watch Game 1 of the Mets’ doubleheader against the Cubs.

It didn’t take long for their presence to be felt in the sparse matinee crowd. The group painted the center-field bleacher section red, covered in the Norwegian flag soccer kits and Viking caps. They boomed chants -- variations of “Let’s Go Mets” in Norwegian and their viral “Viking Row” -- every time the Mets did something even vaguely positive, despite not always being 100% sure of the rules.

But that’s all part of the experience.

“I’ve never been to a baseball game before, and I think this is a part of the American experience to be at a baseball game,” said Daniel, a fan from south of Oslo, Norway’s capital. “So this is the United States for me.”

“I’ve been once before in New York and I watch the Yankees games [sometimes], but this is my second baseball game in New York,” said Magnus, who boasted a little bit more knowledge of baseball. “But I don’t know any players [laughs].”

For most of this group, it’s been a 10-day journey to this point watching the likes of Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard make history in the 2026 World Cup. It began with a 22-plus hour journey from the Scandinavian country to the squad’s opening match against Iraq in Boston, where Norway won 4-1. From there, they traveled down to the tri-state area to watch the Senegal match in a torrential downpour on Monday. But the rain didn't dampen their spirits one bit.

“It’s amazing, it’s a lot more Norwegians than we thought at the stadium in [New Jersey] on Monday,” Daniel said. “It was maybe 20,000 Norwegians.”

The outpouring of support is easy to get swept up in, even if you’ve been growing up around the squad your whole life.

“It’s incredible, it feels like a one-time chance,” said Mats, an Oslo native. “It’s just incredible to be a part of a really big thing for our nation. It makes me really proud.”

It’s understandable if the rest of the experience feels extra special ahead of Norway’s final group stage game against France on Friday in Boston. In many ways, there’s nothing left for the squad and its fans to sit back and enjoy before the knockout round. And for many in the crowd, the Mets-Cubs matchup was the perfect interim, with Citi Field as a fitting location.

“The first thing that I thought was this is maybe the most beautiful arena that I’ve ever been to,” Daniel said. “We were outside, and I saw the architecture -- I think it was just really nice. And it’s also great to just be a part of the sport that’s so big in the U.S.”

“It’s a sport that’s not so big in Norway,” Magnus said, “so it’s cool to see that culture and see it live. The live event is so much better [than on television].”