Norway Tops US Food Import Chart With Over 1,000 Kg Of World Cup Provisions

The Norwegian national team has arrived at the 2026 World Cup with more than 1,000 kilograms of food shipped directly from home, making them the top importers on the US food chart.

The shipment includes 300 kilograms of fish, 116 kilograms of traditional brunost cheese, and 6,000 oranges to keep players like Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard in familiar routines. The team, making its first World Cup appearance in 28 years, is based in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Chef Aron Espeland, who has cooked for the team for 35 years, leads a team of three top Norwegian chefs preparing four meals daily for over 60 people.

“We want what we think is good and work with the best Norwegian ingredients available. Being able to serve it when it really matters is something we take pride in,” Espeland told VG Daily.

He also acknowledged the logistical challenge, stating, “It’s not easy to fly to the US with half a ton of fish” .

The food operation is a practical strategy to minimize disruption from travel, heat, and unfamiliar surroundings during the tournament.

Norway won all eight qualifiers, scoring 37 goals, with Haaland netting 16, and the team is determined to maintain those winning routines.

This is not the first time Norway has used this method, having famously imported 15,000 eggs for the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.