Some estimates suggested that there were 2,500 Norwegians in Cardiff on the day Wales hosted Norway in the Nations League. Not all of them came from abroad, either. There were a fair few familiar faces on the terraces – and some families found themselves cheering for both sides. Here are a few pictures from a momentous day.
The day before the Nations League match between Wales and Norway in Cardiff, Y Wal Goch supporters’ club put on a showing of ‘Alt for Norge‘, an excellent documentary film about Egil “Drillo” Olsen, a revolutionary and successful manager of the Norwegian national team in the 1990s.
On behalf of the Norwegian (and Norwegian-supporting) community in Wales, we were able to welcome Karl-Petter Løken, the General Secretary of the Norwegian Football Association, Norges Fotballforbund, his team and colleagues, to Cardiff.
Fun fact: Drillo Olsen was in his second term as manager of the Norwegian national team when Norway last visited Wales in 2011. They played then, as now, at Cardiff City Stadium. Craig Bellamy, now the Wales coach, played that day and scored one of the 4 winning goals. So Olsen might have laid the foundations for Norway’s football success today – but he equally may well have inspired a young Craig Bellamy and taught him a thing or two about managing a national team!
We were delighted to welcome a group of students and staff from the The Norwegian School in London (Den norske skolen i London) who were spending a few days on a field trip in Cardiff.
Committee member Mark Hinge greeted them on the steps of the Senedd, and introduced the current politics of Wales before showing the group in to watch First Minister’s Question Time.
We then walked the two minutes to the Norwegian Church Arts Centre, where heritage office Thomas Husøy told the story of Norwegians in south Wales – a story that had been largely unknown to the visitors.
The group went on to enjoy visits to the Big Pit and Caerphilly Castle – and even managed to get tickets to watch the Wales v Norway football game on Thursday.
It was great to learn more about the school and the Norwegian community in London, and hopefully build stronger ties for the future.
THANK YOU to everyone who made our Annual General Meeting on Sunday such an enjoyable event – not least Hayley from kos.deg, who brought an amazing selection of Scandinavian-themed rolls and pastries for us to enjoy. Sorry to those who couldn’t make it! We’ll arrange a group outing to see Hayley at her stall in Newport Market before long.
It was especially good to see many new faces – and young ones, at that. We have a diverse membership, spanning generations and geographies – and reflecting very different connections to Norway and Wales – from family ties to short visits that ended up changing lives. The society aims to be a place, as we say in the motto, “for all those with an interest in Norway” to meet, catch up, build wider connections, and to promote Norwegian language, heritage and culture in Wales.
Our keynote celebrations, on Constitution Day on 17 May, and the Festival of Light and Friendship in December, continue to go from strength to strength. Each has drawn upwards of 150 people over the past couple of years and are now a fixed point in the calendar for many.
However, the way that people interact nowadays is different to how it was just a few years ago. Of course, the pandemic forced all of us to take more of our activities online, for good and bad. Live, in-person events haven’t been as popular since then. The internet has brought Norwegian TV, radio, films and conversations right into our homes, even into our pockets. We no longer need to schlepp out to a church hall in the driving rain to engage with Norwegian culture. People are getting busier – or their children are! All in all, it is harder to get people in a room together without a very clear purpose.
That is why it is so exciting to welcome to the church this weekend Ellie Sømme, whose father was a leading member of the Norwegian resistance to the Nazi occupation of Norway during World War 2. His extraordinary escape from certain execution by the Nazis is told on his book, Another Man’s Shoes. The title refers to the shoes Sven Sømme was given by a farmer so that he could escape through the mountains to freedom. Ellie will bring along artefacts from that time and copies of the book her father wrote to her talks at 1 and 4 pm on Saturday, 26 September. Admission is free and open to all.
We’re always delighted to support others who promote Norwegian culture and heritage in Wales. Look at last winter’s production of Romjul – a Norwegian themed play put on by Theatr na nÓg in close collaboration with the staff at the Norwegian Church Arts Centre. We started working with the Welsh National Opera to bring the singers to an event at the church based around the theme of longing for home, a notion ingrained in both Welsh and Norwegian culture. Sadly, funding cuts at WNO put paid to that.
Looking ahead to this autumn, we’ve been happy to promote the Welsh Football Association’s welcome for Norwegian fans attending the Nations League game in Cardiff on 1 October. We’re looking forward to seeing Alt for Norge, a film about a legendary Norwegian national team manager, in Cardiff the night before. And of course, we’re excited to promote and attend the conference on Scandinavian history and heritage that the church’s heritage officer, Thomas Husøy, is putting on in October.
We will shortly welcome a group of students from the Norwegian School in London who will be on a field trip to Cardiff. They didn’t know the extent of Norwegian ties in south Wales until they made contact. We look forward to enlightening them and learning about the Norwegian community in London, and hopefully building stronger ties for the future. We’re also marking the 30th anniversary of the link between Cardiff and Vale College and students in Bergen. In our discussions at the AGM, we recognised that we could and should renew and strengthen our ties with the Norwegian Embassy, the Seamen’s Mission, and other groups such as the Scottish Norwegian Society. We’d like to see more Norwegian artists, performers and speakers who come to the UK to make the short extra trip to see us here in Wales.
We recognise the need to plan further ahead – not always easy on limited resources – so that you can put dates in your busy diaries.
If you’ve got an idea for an event we can put on – at the Norwegian Church or elsewhere – please let us know and let’s try to make it a reality. And if you can help us make it happen, so much the better. We’re a small society and welcome all the help we can get.
There’s more in our autumn newsletter. You can download it here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10oLL2FG9PapAkiMS8kmnn6BhUaBtGYqi/view?usp=sharing
It’s that time of year: We’ll shortly be sending out membership renewals for 2026-27. £10 a year helps to cover the costs of the website, printed programmes at our events, occasional catering, and live music.
Stay in touch: As well as our website and Facebook pages, we’re trying to reach people where they are, so we’ll be taking to Instagram soon. We’ll be here: https://www.instagram.com/welshnorwegian/
We’ve also set up a WhatsApp group so we can communicate quickly with everyone – and you can talk amongst yourselves. Join the group by clicking or scanning the QR code below:
Note there is a separate group for Norwegian speakers in Wales. Ask for details if you wish to join!
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Your committee
The national teams of Wales and Norway square up to meet in Cardiff on Thursday 1 October in their first matches in Group D of the group stages of the Nations League. It has the potential to be an interesting game, with Norway experiencing a slightly stronger run of form.
Join fellow fans for the build-up: The Norwegian FA is hosting a fan event at Depot Cardiff leading up to the match, with room for 1,500 fans. It promises to be a fantastic opportunity to meet fellow Norwegians and soak up some of the Norwegian football fever. Food will be available. There’ll be sing-alongs and competitions with national team jerseys as prizes. Fans of all ages are welcome. Doors open at 12:30 and close at 18:00, making this a great way to gear up whether you’re heading to Cardiff City Stadium or watching the game at a pub. Tickets cost 250 NOK (around £20) each and include a drink voucher.
Buy tickets direct from NFF, the Norwegian FA, at: https://billett.fotball.no/selection/event/date?productId=10229835544358&advantageId=10229944444975
Watch the match in person at Cardiff City Stadium: tickets are now on open sale, meaning you don’t have to belong to a national supporters’ club to buy them. Seats are available for as little as £35 each. Buy here: https://www.eticketing.co.uk/fawtickets-english/EDP/Event/Index/588
Watch on TV: The BBC haven’t confirmed whether they’ll be showing the game live on BBC One or Two, but will broadcast it live on the iPlayer and via the BBC Sport website. S4C will show the game with Welsh commentary, and you can also access this through S4C Clic and the iPlayer.
Listen in: BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru will carry live commentary on air and on BBC Sounds.
The return fixture will be played in Oslo on Saturday 14 November.
Gŵyl Wal Goch is the leading festival of football culture and is held in Wrexham, the spiritual home of Welsh football. On the eve of the Nations League clash between the Cymru and Norway in Cardiff, the group has arranged a screening of the film Alt For Norge in Cardiff in the company of Welsh and Norwegian fans and delegates from the Welsh and Icelandic football associations. Gŵyl Wal Goch founder Russell Todd explains more:
There is a train of thought that when Cymru broke its 58 year qualifying duck at Euro 2016 in France, it changed not just Welsh football but the whole nation. But looking back, we were not alone. A football film being screened in Cardiff suggests Norway went on a similar football-influenced journey a couple of decades earlier than Wales when the unexpected success of national team coach Egil ‘Drillo’ Olsen in the 1990s had a huge influence on Norwegian national identity.
Taking inspiration from Oscar-winning director Asif Kapadia’s sports documentaries Senna and Diego Maradona, filmmaker duo Jo Vemund Svendsen and Daniel Høglund let the story from the 1990s speak for itself in their captivating film Alt for Norge.
Co-director Daniel Høglund said: “We are thrilled to be bringing Alt For Norge to Cardiff to warm up for the match between our nations. For many years Norwegian football was better known for a commentator’s unbridled on-air joy at Norway beating England than for any success on the pitch.”
The memorable quote was screamed over the radio, ‘Lord Nelson! Winston Churchill! Maggie Thatcher! Lady Diana! Your boys took one hell of a beating tonight.’
But Høglund says after that victory they were minnows no more.
“It all changed in the 1990s under Egil Olsen but his impact stretched beyond the pitch. It really did change our small nation and our self-confidence forever.”
Gŵyl Wal Goch’s Russell Todd said: “To many who remember football in the 1990s, Egil Olsen in his wellies is an indelible image. His idiosyncrasies may have made him a figure of fun but they hid an astute brain, both for football and politics. Alt For Norge is a fascinating portrayal of how football can change a small nation for the better, something we in Cymru know all too well after that wonderful summer in France a decade ago. So why not come and join us for a great night out before the big match?”
Mark Hinge from the Welsh Norwegian Society said, “How fitting that on the eve of a sporting-clash of two small nations – both equally, with big hearts – that this film will be screened in Wales as an example of Welsh ‘Hiraeth’ and Norwegian ‘Begjær’. It will be wonderful to watch the historic rise of Norway as a sporting nation and for all of Wales to share in that rise of success and their joy.”
Alt for Norge! shows at The Canopi on Tudor Street on Wednesday 30 September Tickets are available from the Gŵyl Wal Goch website: https://www.footballfansfestival.com/the-silver-screen-loyw
The autumn edition of the WNS newsletter is here, containing details of our autumn programme, including our AGM in two weeks’ time with food from a new Scandinavian eatery in Newport, fascinating talks on a resistance fighter’s escape from the Nazis, international football between our two countries, and an international conference on Scandinavian history coming up at the Norwegian Church in Cardiff.
The highlights:
We’d love to see you at any or all of the events!
For full details and the rest of the autumn news, please see the full newsletter here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10oLL2FG9PapAkiMS8kmnn6BhUaBtGYqi/view?usp=sharing
If you can’t access the file or would prefer a printed copy to be sent to you, please let us know by emailing contact@welshnorwegian.org.
Remember to keep checking our Facebook page and this website for late updates and additions.
An exciting new Scandinavian-themed eatery has opened in south Wales – and we’ve asked them to provide some catering for our AGM, so if you come, you’ll get a chance to sample some Scandi delights.
Owner Hayley Broomfield set up “Kos deg” – roughly translated as “enjoy yourself” or “make yourself cosy” – in the beautifully restored Newport Market, where she’s serving freshly-baked waffles (including ones with cardamon and Norwegian brunost), cinnamon buns, croissants with Jarlsberg, and bagels with fillings of salmon, avocado, salami or cheese. Reviews are outstanding – our member Mark Hinge is already a firm fan.
Hayley told Wales 24/7: “I moved to Norway just before Covid and, because of lockdown, ended up staying for just over three years. The lifestyle was completely different – beautiful scenery, mountains and the water on your doorstep. People would finish work early on a Friday and head to family cabins for the weekend. I fell in love with the culture and started learning Norwegian baking traditions.”
Hayley is blogging about her Scandinavian food adventure on social media but she’s kindly agreed to tell us in person about her experiences in Norway, what drove her into hospitality sector, and her experiences in Wales, at the AGM. Another first-class reason to attend!
As you may know, the Norwegian Church Cardiff Bay – the charity which manages the venue – is fortunate to have the services of a dedicated heritage officer.
Thomas Alexander Husøy-Ciaccia is building quite a reputation as a historian, both in Wales and in his native Norway, helping the church to win important funding to increase knowledge and understanding of the links between the two countries.
Remarkably, he has been able to organise an important conference, to be held at the church in October, to celebrate the rich history and heritage of Norway and Scandinavia in the British Isles. Made possible through the generous support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the conference marks the culmination of the Norwegian Church Heritage Research and Outreach Project.
We are promised fascinating talks from leading academics, researchers and heritage professionals covering everything from Viking heritage and maritime history to wartime stories, public history and the enduring connections between Norway and the UK.
Tickets are free but should be reserved online at https://fixr.co/event/norwegian-and-scandinavian-history-and-heritage-in-tickets-659544771
All events take place at the Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay, unless otherwise stated
Sun 20 Sept, 2.30 pm
Annual General Meeting of the society, with special guest Hayley Broomfield, founder of new Newport-based Scandinavian deli ‘Kos Deg’, who will also bring samples.
Sat 26 Sept, 1 pm and 4 pm
Ellie Sømme presents the remarkable story of her father’s escape from the Nazis. Read more here: https://welshnorwegian.org/2026/05/23/escape-from-execution/
Tue 29 Sep – Fri 2 Oct
Students from Norwegian School in London visit Cardiff on a school trip.
Wed 30 Sep, 6.30 pm – The Canopi, Tudor Street
A screening of the film ‘Alt for Norge’ which recounts the remarkable story of Egil ‘Drillo’ Olsen, the football fanatic who gets to coach Norway’s national team in 1990 and ends up leading them on a fairytale winning streak that changes the country forever.
Buy tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/football-on-the-silver-screen-pel-droed-ar-y-sgrin-loyw-alt-for-norge-tickets-1997697289369
Thurs 1 Oct
Wales v Norway football, venue still TBC.
Tue 6 – Wed 7 Oct
Conference: Norwegian and Scandinavian History and Heritage in the British Isles.
Tickets are free but should be reserved.
https://fixr.co/event/norwegian-and-scandinavian-history-and-heritage-in-tickets-659544771
Sun 6 Dec
Festival of Light and Friendship. More details to come. Save the date!
