Why Norway brought over 1,000kg of food to the World Cup in the U.S.
Norway reportedly transported over 1,000kg of food to the World Cup in the United States as part of their tournament preparations.
Norway’s World Cup preparations have sparked viral reactions after reports claimed the national team shipped more than 1,000 kilograms of food from home to its base in the United States. But contrary to some sensational reporting, it’s not really got anything to do with distrust of American cuisine and more to do with high-performance precision.
Salmon, cheese and 6,000 oranges: Norway’s very specific World Cup diet
The Norwegian squad, preparing in Greensboro, North Carolina, reportedly brought a carefully curated supply of familiar foods including hundreds of kilograms of Atlantic salmon and white fish, over 100 kilograms of brunost (traditional brown cheese), and thousands of oranges, alongside a full traveling culinary team. In total, the shipment exceeds a metric ton of food designed to sustain the squad throughout the tournament.
While social media framed the move as Norway “not trusting American food”, team staff have instead emphasized performance and stability. With players spending weeks in unfamiliar conditions, the goal is to eliminate any variables, especially dietary ones, that could impact recovery, digestion, sleep quality, or match readiness.
This level of logistical control is increasingly common in elite international soccer. At World Cups, the details matter, and nutrition is treated with the same seriousness as training, tactics, or recovery protocols. National teams are essentially building fully controlled environments abroad, complete with imported chefs, ingredients, and tailored menus.
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