Norwegian Fan Protests 'Historically Inaccurate' Viking Row Celebration

Not everyone is rowing with the crowd.

Norway fans have plenty to celebrate as their football team continues its promising run at the FIFA World Cup 2026, marching their way to the quarter-finals and are set to take on England on Saturday for a place in the last four. The descendants of the Vikings - best known to many through history books and popular streaming series - have embraced a celebration inspired by their seafaring heritage. Hundreds of Norwegian fans, joined by stars such as Erling Haaland and skipper Martin Ødegaard, have come together to recreate the synchronised rowing motion of a Viking longship after every win in this World Cup. The celebration has emerged as one of the defining moments of this World Cup, becoming so popular that Google has even created a special animation to honour it. However, one fan appears far from impressed by the group activity. While thousands of supporters joined in the rowing celebration, Emil Lappen could be seen sitting in a silent protest, refusing to imitate the action. Speaking to Sky Sports in a video interview, Lappen explained the reason behind his disagreement. "I just find it really stupid, that’s the thing I felt when they came up with it, that it was stupid and annoying and I didn’t want to do it. "It is a lot of what the Iceland were doing, and it’s factually wrong. They didn’t row, they sailed over the Atlantic. Changing a motion isn’t enough to get it away from being a copy of exactly what they did." Iceland's famous Viking Clap had become a global sensation during UEFA Euro 2016. Iceland's players and supporters would stand together after matches, raising their hands before clapping in unison while chanting "Huh!" , creating one of football's most iconic fan celebrations. “All they wanted was the same reaction from people, and then they just changed the motion. That’s the same thing. The Vikings sailed across the Atlantic. They didn’t row across the Atlantic," added Lappen. Lappen argued that the celebration is historically inaccurate and said he did not appreciate it. "The Vikings rowed up rivers and things like that. But across the Atlantic, they sailed. I wanted to show that I didn’t appreciate it, and I think I got the message across. I will be supporting them comfortably from my chair at home. Not rowing, not rowing anywhere!" The Norwegian fan also criticised the celebratory song associated with the rowing tradition. "A song that they released, together with the rowing. They said they were going to row across the Atlantic and that’s why I’ve been so annoyed about it."

Origin of the Viking Row celebration

The now-famous celebration was one fan's idea. In December 2025, Norwegian supporter Ole Froystad, fondly called ‘Mr Row Row’, came up with a chant. "It's so much fun to see people come together and row as one. It creates a real sense of unity," Froystad told FIFA. com, adding that the celebration had become "far bigger than I ever imagined. It's absolutely crazy." Norway's official supporters' club soon turned the idea into a matchday ritual. "It all started with Ole's idea. Then we developed it together," Torstein Hamran, a board member of supporters' club Oljeberget Supporterklubb told FIFA. com. The first attempt against Switzerland in March this year drew mixed reactions. "Some people loved it, while others thought it looked a bit silly," he admitted. But after a friendly against Sweden in June, everything changed. "This is going to be huge," supporters predicted - and they were right.” added Hamran.