Norwegians clad in Viking helmets, Americans joining the Erling Haaland hype train and many of South Florida’s numerous English residents were among the throngs of fans gathering in the Fort Lauderdale heat Saturday ahead of the highly anticipated World Cup match between the countries.
Early in the afternoon, crowds braved the July sun for hours outside of the Four Seasons in Fort Lauderdale in hopes of catching a glimpse of the team and its superstar, Haaland, the hulking, 6-foot-5 striker with a Viking-esque hairstyle who has captured the hearts of fans across the country over the last few weeks, a mania driven in large part by social media algorithms.
“I was not prepared for the whole atmosphere,” Heine Fjelhaug, 36, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel as he waited for the team to emerge. He and two friends wore identical Viking helmets, Norwegian flags over their backs, their faces painted the same colors. “The fever that was all around us; the patriotism. How proud I would be for our country.”
Norwegian fans wait for them to emerge from the Four Seasons on Fort Lauderdale beach and head to the stadium for the game on Saturday, July 11, 2026. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fjelhaug, an air traffic controller, flew to South Florida on Friday from New York for the game; before that, he had followed the team to Boston.
Though he has only been in South Florida for a day, he said he has found the U.S. very welcoming.
“Norway seems like kind of a favorite,” he said. “If you walk around in a Norway jersey, everyone’s yelling ‘row’ or ‘go Norway!’”
He was referring to the viral Norwegian “row” celebration, which has, in recent weeks, taken over Time Square and, on Friday, Ocean Drive in Miami Beach. Fjelhaug said he had participated in the row in Miami and even “did a small rowing” on Saturday afternoon with about 30 Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies stationed outside of the Four Seasons.
Several supporters of the Norway team Saturday had no ties to Norway at all, but had become fans themselves thanks to Haaland and the energy brought by the team’s fans in the U.S.
Norway’s Erling Haaland, center, attends a training session ahead of their quarterfinal World Cup soccer match against England, Thursday, July 9, 2026, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
“I’ve particularly enjoyed seeing how this team has enjoyed being in our country, how they carried themselves,” said Cala Greenlaw, 42, a Fort Lauderdale resident, who said she liked learning about Haaland’s relationship with his sister, which reminded her of her own relationship with her brother. “Don’t you want to row?”
The feverish energy on Saturday didn’t only belong to Norway fans. Waxy’s Irish Pub in Fort Lauderdale was packed with England fans hours before the game started, many of them from South Florida’s sizable British contingent, though some had also traveled to the region in hopes of seeing the game, before deciding not to splurge on tickets.
“I think we’re going to batter them two-nil,” said Tom Wilson, 43, a regular at the bar who runs the South Florida Nottingham Forest Supporters Club.
Asked about the hype around Haaland, some England fans scoffed.
Tom Wilson is draped in a flag as he joins other England fans as they gather to watch the game at Waxy’s Irish Pub in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, July 11, 2026. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
“What hype? What hype?” said Jake Steppens, 36, who had traveled to Fort Lauderdale from Bermuda, where he works in construction.
Still, several England fans said they had no bad blood toward Norway. Many said they respected Haaland in particular.
Saturday’s game marked new frontier for Norway; the team has never made it to the quarterfinals before, adding to the hype from Norwegians and South Floridians alike.
Landon Lorenzen, 32, and his nephew, Max Aldridge, 18, said they had only recently become Norway fans, but now supported the team more than the U.S. team.
“We love underdogs,” Lorenzen said.
The two had arrived in South Florida from Iowa on Monday for vacation before realizing the team was stationed two blocks away from where they were staying.
“It’s the social media Haaland stuff that’s really blown it up for us,” Lorenzen said, adding that “he’s a funny dude.” The two had become inundated with social media content in the last week, and enjoyed watching Haaland’s Snapchats and clips of him shopping in Texas.
Outside the hotel, the fans began to cheer and film on their phones as the team emerged from the hotel and into a waiting bus. Some chanted “Haaland!” A minor mix-up occurred when a different team member with a similar blonde man bun entered the vehicle. The team’s newer fans cheered, then realized their mistake. A few minutes later, Haaland emerged, and the crowd went wild.