Sport in Norway

Cross-country skiing: the national sport

Norwegians say they're born with skis on their feet. It's an exaggeration, but not by much. As soon as the snow arrives, the floodlit trails (lysløyper) in the forests around the cities fill up. In Oslo the metro goes straight up to Frognerseteren and Sognsvann, and you can ski right from the station.

You don't have to buy everything new. Many kommuner have BUA, a lending scheme where you borrow skis and other gear for free. The second-hand market on Finn.no is also full of skis every autumn. Learn to wax, or buy skin skis (felleski) that don't need grip wax. And be prepared: a 70-year-old will overtake you on the uphill.

Holmenkollen and the Birkebeiner race

Holmenkollen is the ski jump you see above Oslo. Every March the Holmenkollen Ski Festival brings ski jumping, Nordic combined and cross-country, and the 50 km race is the classic. Thousands of people camp in the forest along the course, grill sausages and cheer for everyone, including whoever comes last. Standing along the course is free.

The Birkebeinerrennet runs from Rena to Lillehammer, 54 kilometres across the mountain. Everyone has to carry a pack of at least 3.5 kg, in memory of the Birkebeiner warriors who in 1206 carried the infant prince Håkon over the mountains. Over ten thousand people take part each year, and many train all winter to earn the merket, the badge for a fast time.

The Winter Olympics and the big names

Norway has won more Winter Olympic medals than any other country in history, with a population of just over five million. The 1994 Lillehammer Olympics are still a fond memory for many.

Marit Bjørgen has 15 Olympic medals, eight of them gold. Johannes Høsflot Klæbo from Trondheim is today's big star, with a string of Olympic golds and world titles. He's known for explosive sprints on the uphills. During championships the TV is on in the break room at work, and people slip out of meetings to watch the last leg of the relay.

Football, handball, chess and athletics

In summer football takes over. Erling Haaland, who grew up in Bryne, scores goals for Manchester City, and Martin Ødegaard captains Arsenal. The men's team played at the 2026 World Cup, their first World Cup since 1998. Erling Haaland scored twice when Norway beat Brazil 2–1 in the round of 16, and the whole country celebrated. Many Norwegians also support an English club, so ask who they're for.

The women's handball team has won a long list of championships, and the December World and European Championships are standard cosy TV viewing. Magnus Carlsen was world chess champion from 2013 to 2023 and made chess popular on TV. Karsten Warholm set the 400 m hurdles world record at the Tokyo Olympics with 45.94.

The sports club and the dugnad

Nearly every child in Norway belongs to an idrettslag, a local sports club run by volunteer parents. The coach of your son's football team is probably a dad who works at a bank. Children's sport is meant to be about play, and in many sports no official results are kept for the youngest.

Dugnad is shared voluntary work, and it keeps the club going. You will sell raffle tickets, staff the kiosk at a tournament or clean changing rooms. Say yes. It's the best way to get to know other parents, and people notice who turns up. Adults can join too: most clubs have sessions for casual exercisers, and a company sports club (bedriftsidrettslag) at work is an easy way in.

Out on a trip

Sport in Norway isn't only about competition. The Sunday walk (søndagstur) is almost an institution. People head into the forest or the mountains with a thermos, an orange and a Kvikk Lunsj chocolate bar in the backpack. DNT, the Norwegian Trekking Association, has cabins and marked trails all over the country, and membership is a good investment.

The right to roam (allemannsretten) lets you walk and camp almost anywhere on uncultivated land, as long as you're considerate and clean up after yourself. Say yes when colleagues ask if you want to come for a walk. That's often how friendships start here, walking side by side without having to look each other in the eye.