Traditional Children's Games

Children in Norway play a wide variety of games that don't require technology. Some of which are Gjemsel or hide and seek, Tikken or tag, and the most popular is the Stiv Heks or Stiff Witch in English. In this game, the "witch" has to "freeze" everyone to be the winner. The young also play card games such as Gnav, Vri Atter, Gris, and Mattis.

Winter Sports Culture

There is a popular expression about Norwegians that says "Norwegians are born with skis". This is mostly due to the fact that a large part of the country is covered in snow. Cross-country skiing and all forms of skating are the country's national pastime. Norway also has an excellent record in Track and Field, particularly in long distance running.

"Norway's relationship with skiing is unlike any other nation's connection to a sport. When the terrain is covered in snow for months each year, skiing becomes not just recreation but a way of life. This cultural integration explains why Norwegians consistently dominate winter sports on the world stage."
— Robert Wood, founder of Topend Sports

Famous Norwegian Athletes

Norway has produced successful athletes in many fields of sports. Sonja Henie, a figure skater, is one of the famous athletes in Norway. Henie captured gold medals in the 1928, 1932, and 1936 Winter Games. For Track and Field, Erik Tysse competed at four editions of the world championships in athletics. He also represented Norway at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics.

cycling in Norway

Cycle race in Norway

Ingri Kristiansen was regarded to be one of the best female long distance runners during the 1980s and the first athlete to win world titles on all three surfaces.

Skiing competitions were introduced in the 18th century. The Holmenkollen Ski Festival is now held annually and still attracts numerous spectators from around the world.

Below are details of sports, sporting events and sports people related to Norway.

Popular Sports of Norway

  • Football (Soccer), Skiing, Ice skating, Cross-country skiing, Biathlon, Ski jumping, Curling, Ice hockey

Did You Know?

Norway introduced competitive skiing in the 18th century, and the annual Holmenkollen Ski Festival has been attracting spectators ever since, making it one of the world's oldest ski competitions.

Learn More About Skiing →

Traditional or Regional Sports

  • Basse — a bag ball game from Norway in which the ball is kept from landing in the player's area, using any part of the body except the hands.

Norway's Summer Olympic Success

  • Norway won 10 medals at the Sydney 2000 Olympics (4 gold, 3 silver, 3 bronze)
  • Norway won 6 medals at the Athens 2004 Olympics (5 gold and 1 bronze)
  • Norway won 9 medals at the Beijing 2008 Olympics (3 gold, 5 silver, 1 bronze)
  • Norway won 4 medals at the London 2012 Olympics (2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze)
  • Norway won 4 bronze medals at the Rio 2016 Olympics
  • Norway won 8 medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (4 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze)
  • Norway won 8 medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics (4 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze)

Norway Summer Olympic Medal History (Recent)

Olympic Games Gold Silver Bronze Total
Sydney 2000 4 3 3 10
Athens 2004 5 0 1 6
Beijing 2008 3 5 1 9
London 2012 2 1 1 4
Rio 2016 0 0 4 4
Tokyo 2020 4 2 2 8
Paris 2024 4 1 3 8

Norway also dominates the Winter Olympics medal tables

"With athletes like Marit Bjorgen earning 15 Olympic medals and Sonja Henie revolutionizing figure skating with three consecutive golds, Norway has produced some of the most decorated winter athletes in Olympic history. Their systematic approach to athlete development continues to yield world-class competitors."
— According to sports science expert Robert Wood, who has analyzed Olympic performance data for over 25 years

Great Athletes from Norway

  • Sonja Henie - figure skating
  • Erik Tysse - track and field
  • Ingri Kristiansen - distance running
  • Bjorn Dahlie - cross-country skiing
  • Grete Waitz - marathon runner and former world record holder
  • Marit Bjorgen - She has won 15 Olympic medals for Norway in cross-country skiing.

Olympic Legend

Marit Bjorgen is the most decorated Winter Olympian of all time with 15 medals (8 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze) in cross-country skiing, representing Norway's dominance in the sport.

Explore Winter Olympics →

Norway at Major Events

Past Sporting Events Hosted in Norway

"The 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics set a new standard for how the Games should be organized. The intimate atmosphere, stunning venues, and Norwegian hospitality created an Olympic experience that is still referenced as a benchmark for future host cities."
— Robert J. Wood's research at Topend Sports

Upcoming Sporting Events in Norway

Upcoming Events

Norway will host the 2029 Alpine World Ski Championships in Narvik and co-host the 2031 World Handball Championship with Denmark and Iceland.

View All Events →

Annual Sporting Events Held in Norway

  • Holmenkollen Ski Festival - One of the world's oldest and most prestigious ski competitions, held annually in Oslo.
  • Arctic Race of Norway - A professional cycling race held in Northern Norway.
  • Norwegian National Ski Championships - The premier national skiing competition.
  • Norwegian National Football Cup - The knockout football competition for Norwegian clubs.

Sporting Facilities in Norway

Is there something missing? If you know of something that should be listed here, please let us know.