Norway is bringing more than high hopes to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. To make players feel at home during their first tournament appearance in 28 years, the team has shipped hundreds of kilograms of fish, traditional brunost cheese, and thousands of oranges to its North Carolina training base.
After a 28-year absence from football’s biggest stage, Norway is leaving nothing to chance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Scandinavian squad has transported an impressive selection of national staples to its training camp in Greensboro, North Carolina: 300 kilograms of fish, 116 kilograms of traditional brunost cheese, and 6,000 oranges.
Behind the culinary operation is chef Aron Espeland, who has been cooking for Norway’s national team for 35 years. Alongside his team, he ensures players enjoy familiar flavors throughout the tournament – a strategy that goes beyond nutrition. Comfort foods such as brunost, Norway’s distinctive caramelized brown cheese, offer a sense of home and routine as stars like Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard prepare for the country’s first World Cup appearance since 1998.
With the expanded 48-team tournament taking place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Norway’s carefully curated menu highlights the growing importance of food in elite sports performance. And if the team manages to consume all 300 kilograms of fish, it may well be a sign that their World Cup journey has lasted longer than expected.
