By Gayatri Sanghi
The Viking Row. Or simply, “Ro!”
If you have watched Norway play at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, you’ve probably seen it. The stadium falls silent for a brief moment. A drum echoes through the crowd. Then thousands of supporters begin rowing in perfect synchrony, while chanting “Ro!” as one. Thousands of individuals surrender their individuality for a few moments and move
together with one purpose. The movement is so simple, yet incredibly powerful. It transforms the crowd into a single force, a force that stands firmly behind its players before they step into battle.
After 28 years, Norway’s return to the FIFA World Cup is much more than football. It has become a celebration of identity, history, and collective belief. Open any social media platform today and you’ll see a sea of red. Videos of Norwegian supporters performing the Viking Row have gone viral. Not only because Norway has played remarkably well, but because the ritual itself has become impossible to ignore. Sports broadcasters, media houses, creators, and even people who do not necessarily watch football have stopped scrolling to ask the same question:
What is happening here?
That is the power of culture. The Viking Row is no longer confined to football stadiums. Norwegian institutions like the Parliament, the Royal Family, and brands have embraced it as a shared cultural expression. Even global stars like Erling Haaland have become more than elite footballers. They have become cultural symbols around whom an entire nation can rally. This is what makes Norway’s story so unique. Norway is home to just over 5 million people. Yet, when the national team walks onto the field, the country presents itself as one voice. The Viking Row is not just entertainment. It is a ritual of unity. Sport has always had its tribes. Football has the Ultras. English cricket has the Barmy Army. Each European basketball team has their respective tribe. Indian cricket has the Bharat Army. Across the world, supporters travel thousands of kilometers, create traditions, write chants and songs, and build identities that often remain relevant for generations. The difference is that Norway has managed to turn one cultural tradition into something that extends far beyond its fan groups. It has become a national expression. As an Indian, and as someone who has spent most of their life in competitive sport, Norway’s unity at the 2026 FIFA World Cup made me wonder what this could look like for India.
India is home to more than 1.4 billion people, over 250 times the population of Norway. This simply means – more languages, more communities, more stories, more traditions, and perhaps the richest sporting culture waiting to be celebrated. We have seen glimpses of this. The country stays awake through the night to support and witness India’s top athletes perform at the biggest of world stages. We’ve packed stadiums and cities for cricket world cups, celebrated Neeraj Chopra’s gold medal, the Indian hockey team’s resurgence, and more.
The emotion already exists.
What if we became more intentional about expressing it? What traditions, chants, rituals, or symbols could become uniquely Indian? How do we celebrate our athletes in ways that reflect our own history? How do we transform spectators into participants, and sporting events into shared cultural experiences? Some of the most memorable sporting moments are created when athletes are matched by extraordinary support.
Perhaps this is the biggest lesson Norway offers the rest of the world. Culture is not just something we inherit. It is something we perform together. And maybe India’s next great sporting tradition is still waiting to be created.
