Norwegian soccer star Erling Haaland has gained a social media boost during the FIFA World Cup for scoring five goals across three matches, and he’s driving some of that attention toward Norwegian seafood.
Haaland signed a 2.5 year promotional contract in 2024 with the Norwegian Seafood Council, appearing in multiple campaigns since. In 2026, Haaland’s goal scoring output has only driven more viewers to his social media pages, where he boasts a following of 42.6 million on Instagram. There, content of Haaland encouraging people to eat Norwegian seafood can be found.
At this year’s World Cup, the Norwegian national football team brought 500 kilos of Norwegian seafood to the U.S., according to a release by the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC). Items in transit include salmon, trout, halibut, king crab, and langoustines.
“The best Norwegian footballers are global superstars,” NSC Marketing Director Camilla Beck said in a release. “They are conscious of what they eat and choose products they know and trust. When they choose Norwegian seafood, it doesn’t only create visibility, but also discussion and engagement around the world. That is both inspiring and great. At the press conference before Norway’s match against France, one of the questions asked was whether the Norwegian national team had enough fish to last until the World Cup final on 19 July.”
The team’s three Norwegian chefs, Aron Espeland, Eirik Tufte, and Christian Karlsson, plan the team’s menus and cook the food, according to the NSC release. In an interview, Espeland said he’s been contacted by several major media outlets like CNN and The New York Times to talk about the impact of Norwegian seafood during the World Cup.
“They are generally very curious about the fact that we have brought so much food with us,” Espeland said in the release. “We have, among other things, served waffles and brown cheese at a press event. When it comes to seafood, they are particularly interested in Norwegian salmon, as many of them have heard of it. As a trained chef, it is a real pleasure to showcase Norwegian produce – including our fantastic seafood.”
Players eat sometimes four meals a day, Espeland said, requiring the team to import additional fish from Norway.
“Fortunately, we have good contacts,” Espeland said in the release. “In addition, seafood from Norway is exported all over the world, so suppliers are used to transporting fish and shellfish over long distances. The quality of the seafood we receive is very high.”
Haaland’s campaign with Norwegian seafood, especially during the U.S.-based World Cup, is highlighting Norway’s seafood industry relationship to the U.S., a bilateral relationship Norwegian Fisheries Minister Marianna Sivertsen Næss noted is important at Seafood Expo North America 15-17 March in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
“We are extremely grateful to all the suppliers who have made it possible for us to serve Norwegian seafood to the players every day. Please know that the boys really appreciate this,” Norwegian Football Federation Head of Sales and Business Development Tom Fodstad. “The seafood has been very well received by both the players and the support staff. One salmon dish has so far been a favorite among the players. Salmon tataki with a vinaigrette made from browned butter, white soy sauce, yuzu and honey went down extremely well, which is of course very rewarding for us in the kitchen.”
