Minnesota breaks out Norwegian World Cup fans’ row chant in football opener

Erling Haaland leaned into schooling himself on the ins and outs of Americana during this summer’s FIFA Men’s World Cup.

Turns out the Norwegian soccer star and the throngs of blue-and-red supporters who followed him left something behind for U.S. fans to remember them by.

In Minnesota, they’re putting it to good use.

During Norway’s run to the World Cup quarterfinals, spearheaded by the Manchester City forward, Norwegian fans captured the world’s attention with their “row” chant — a coordinated chant in which supporters rowed in unison as players banged on a drum in honor of their Viking roots.

Minnesota coach PJ Fleck, whose tagline has long been “Row the Boat,” hinted at Big Ten media days this summer that the chant might make its way to Gopher home games. And that’s exactly what happened during Thursday night’s season opener against Eastern Illinois, when Gophers fans debuted the chant inside Huntington Bank Stadium.

THE ROW CHANT IS HERE‼️

The 2026 season is underway at Huntington Bank Stadium! #RTB #SkiUMah #Gophers pic.twitter.com/6fEfNeA8cH

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) September 4, 2026

Entire sections of the stadium rowed together before kickoff, just like the Norwegian supporters did this summer. Minnesota has the largest population of Norwegian Americans in the country, so it makes sense that the state’s flagship university leaned into the chant.

That the oar-obsessed Fleck would also push to adopt it should be no surprise, either.

Former Minnesota linebacker Kamal Martin led the inaugural rowing chant Thursday night.