The Norwegian Football Association (NFF) has admitted it severely underestimated demand for the Norway national team jersey, with the shirt selling out at Nike and other retailers consistently since its March launch. Commercial director Runar Pahr Andresen told Norwegian outlet TV2 that orders are at a record high this year, with demand from fans having “exceeded all forecasts”.
The scale of the frenzy became clear when Oslo store Torshov Sport received a new batch of jerseys on Tuesday. Local reporters estimated the resulting queue stretched around 600 metres, snaking around several streets. Some fans waited in line for 12 hours, bringing chairs to secure their place. Store manager Anders Lilleberg told Norwegian outlet VG: “I’ve been here for many years, but I’ve never encountered the kind of atmosphere that is there now. It’s absolutely wild.”
The NFF has attributed much of the surge to fever-pitch fandom around Manchester City striker Erling Haaland. This year’s order of approximately 250,000 kits represents a record high — a stark contrast to the roughly 50,000 sold during the same period last year. Andresen said the association had “never made more money” from jersey sales than it is currently.
The official red jersey, featuring the Norwegian flag’s blue cross, has been out of stock at Nike and several other outlets for weeks. Torshov Sport is now inviting fans to register for its next kit drop but cannot guarantee all jerseys will arrive in time for Saturday’s match.
Nike acknowledged the situation in a statement to the BBC, saying they “recognise the disappointment” among fans and are working to improve availability. Additional deliveries of the Norway Home Match and Stadium jerseys are expected to reach Norway in the coming days, with “broader availability thereafter”, the sportswear giant added.
Image credit: BBC Sport / BBC Sport
