Proud moments for Norway

Why is this a priority?

Successful national teams and top clubs play a crucial role in ensuring recruitment and financial sustainability in Norwegian football. Top-level performances generate pride, increase engagement, and create revenue that helps fund the entire football pyramid. For instance, we expect the men's senior national team to develop a surplus of well over NOK 200 million in 2025, directly reinvested into the development of Norwegian football. This demonstrates how elite football acts as a driving force for the grassroots game, ensuring that football remains a sport for all.

The Norwegian Football Federation's most significant revenue stream comes from broadcasting rights for top-tier football. The total agreement with TV 2 is valued at NOK 750 million, accounting for nearly half of NFF's total income.

National teams

Our senior national teams unite and engage the whole country—sometimes in celebration, sometimes in frustration. We have world-class players on both the men's and women's sides, with emerging talents continuing to make their mark internationally. The women's national team has qualified for every European Championship and World Cup in history but has underperformed in recent tournaments. Meanwhile, the men's team has not qualified for a major tournament since 2000.

We take a holistic approach to player development, playing style, and structural conditions to improve national team performances. This is done closely with top clubs, regional associations, and our national team pathway. By fostering knowledge-sharing and strong cooperation, Norway's sporting framework creates a clear thread that connects teams and provides predictability for players throughout their national team journey.

We focus on development and performance evaluation at youth national team levels rather than results. Performance is what we can actively influence. We are working to establish a clear playing identity, enhance areas where we face challenges, and continuously adapt to international trends to refine the Norwegian model.

National training facility

Elite football is about fine margins, and we are committed to extracting the small advantages that make a big difference. Our top players have limited time together in national team camps at youth and senior levels.

To maximise their preparation and performance, we must optimise their time together. A national training facility will be key to achieving this. We need a location that ensures optimal training conditions for our national teams while also serving as a hub for everyone working within Norwegian elite football. It will be a powerhouse of knowledge and expertise that benefits the entire football community, from the grassroots to the top level.

Most of our competitors already have such facilities, and we need them to stay competitive in an increasingly demanding international landscape. Currently, the national teams' access to natural grass pitches is critically low, limiting their development. A national training facility is essential to secure future success for our youth and senior national teams.

Top clubs

Clubs at the top of the football pyramid, both in men's and women's football, play a decisive role in the development of Norwegian football. The men's game has seen positive progress, with impressive individual achievements. Increased focus on talent development and financial strengthening has delivered results. However, the gap with international competitors continues to grow in sporting and financial terms. To achieve sustainable progress, we need more top clubs competing in Europe, an even stronger football product to boost club revenues, and a pipeline of players who can be transferred abroad for significant sums.

On the women's side, some clubs are making their mark in Europe, but we must increase efforts to keep pace with the accelerating international landscape, where many clubs and leagues are becoming entirely professional. The domestic women's league, Toppserien, sees significant variations in attendance, commercial income, and sporting quality. We aim to enhance sporting and commercial standards across multiple clubs, increasing competitiveness and fostering closer collaboration between the federation, clubs, and league associations in both men's and women's football.

Professional football in Norway is undergoing rapid transformation. The global game is evolving, and our top clubs must adapt while maintaining the unique aspects of Norwegian football.

During this strategy period, we will explore all possibilities to help our top clubs keep pace with European competitors while carefully assessing which changes best suit the Norwegian model.

By 2030, we aim to have internationally competitive men's and women's football leagues in sporting and commercial terms. Our ambition is for Toppserien to be one of Europe's top six professional leagues (in line with UEFA's women's football strategy).

Talent development – collaboration between clubs, regional associations, and the federation

Strong collaboration between top clubs and regional associations has provided more opportunities for the most promising players while enhancing knowledge and expertise within the clubs. Youth development and infrastructure investments have secured a steady flow of young talent into the leagues.

At the heart of our strategy is the player as a person—with a focus on holistic development. By strengthening cooperation between club, regional, and national team coaches, we can tailor individual follow-up for each talent. In the coming strategy period, we will improve our ability to create customised pathways that help players reach their full potential.

NFF's talent development model, Landslagsskolen (The National Team School), is delivered by regional associations in close cooperation with grassroots, semi-professional, and top clubs. We will continue developing this model to ensure that it identifies top talents regardless of gender or background.

At the youth national team level, we will provide our best players with experience at the highest international level, mainly through participation in youth championships.

The Norwegian top player is a product of our unique football model, where grassroots and elite go hand in hand, supported by strong child development principles. From their first kick on a local pitch to performing on the international stage, Norwegian players carry values of unity, respect, and responsibility. They appreciate their own and their teammates' development and always put the team first.

This foundation gives Norwegian elite players a clear competitive advantage. We emphasise developing the whole person, with mental resilience as a core component. The Norwegian model produces skilled players and role models who take pride in what they represent and contribute positively both on and off the pitch.

Supporters

Our supporter base is diverse—standing and singing fans, seated supporters, families, children and young people, veterans, ultras, armchair fans, and neutral enthusiasts. One of the reasons why moments and performances in elite football unite the entire nation, from villages to cities and across generations, is the unique football supporter culture. This culture is constantly evolving, with an increasing number of younger fans in recent years, partly due to the rise of women's football.

Norwegian football is strengthened by fans' passion, commitment, and support for our top clubs and national teams. This is also a vital revenue source for Norwegian football.

NFF and Norwegian football will engage with all supporters with openness, dialogue, respect, and a genuine interest in supporter culture.

We will set clear expectations that supporters contribute to a safe and inclusive environment in stadiums and online discussions. Respecting differing viewpoints and ensuring safety for all are fundamental values. At the same time, we want to strengthen the unique sense of belonging that football creates, ensuring that the game remains a meeting place for all—including supporters.