Returning to the World Cup 2026 finals, the Norwegian national team secured a spot in the knockout stage following a 3-2 win against Senegal in their second group I match.

The Northern European representatives created a sensation on social media with images of fans, dressed in red, performing the "Viking row" ritual in various locations. These included escalators, stadium stands, and even Times Square in New York, USA. Videos captured by fans of these moments quickly spread across social media platforms, attracting hundreds of thousands of views.

On 22/6, in preparation for the match, hundreds of Norwegian fans gathered in the central area of Times Square, one of New York's most popular tourist attractions, to support their team. The sight of the fan group in traditional attire performing the rowing ritual garnered attention from locals.

Many international tourists present at the scene also stopped to record and even sat down to participate in the movements with the fan group, according to AP.

After the victory against Senegal on the evening of 22/6 (local time) at Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, Norwegian fans and players continued their emotional celebration. In several sections, fans sat in neat rows, awaiting a signal from the captain. Each drum beat was met with a shout of "Ro" from the Norwegians, accompanied by synchronized arm movements mimicking rowing. This action was repeated for nearly one minute.

Following the conclusion of the rowing display, the players jumped up, cheering and celebrating with the fans. Haaland exclaimed, "It's crazy, I think this is one of the best nights of my life".

Norwegian fans celebrate with a Viking row display at Metlife Stadium. Photo: AP

This cheer, known as the "Viking row", emulates ancient warriors sitting on longships and rowing in rhythm with drums. The activity draws inspiration from the "Viking Clap", which the Iceland team performed at Euro 2016. For the "Viking row", the entire crowd sits down in fixed vertical rows, leaning back and surging forward in unison to create a ripple effect.

Live television footage showed a similar atmosphere recorded in Trondheim, Norway, fostering a connection among the nation's fans worldwide.

Sharing his thoughts on the celebration, striker Erling Haaland revealed that he and Martin had discussed before the match whether they should execute this plan, and they did.

"I think it's a special moment for the Norwegian people", Erling Haaland said.

Mai Phuong (According to AP, Vegard Grott)