The home kit features a pattern inside the blue stripes on the chest, inspired by the ornamentation of Urnes Stave Church, Norway's first UNESCO World Heritage site, inscribed in 1979. The Fortidsminneforeningen (Society for the Preservation of Norwegian Ancient Monuments), which owns the church, was not involved in the design process. According to NRK Vestland, Ola Fjeldheim, Secretary General of Fortidsminneforeningen, described the use of the ornamentation as a surprise but noted that it belongs to the public domain and has been used on passports, coins, and banknotes. Hanna Geiran, Director General of Cultural Heritage, told NRK Vestland she was happy to see the World Heritage site represented on the jersey.
Flag expert Jan Oskar Engene of the University of Bergen criticized the home jersey's cross design, which resembles the Norwegian flag. According to Fotbollskanalen, Engene described the proportions as incorrect: the cross is too wide and the white stripes too narrow. He predicted that social media comments would quickly point out the error and that NFF might have to answer questions about it.
It's absolutely fantastic! Great fun. It's beautiful and iconic ornamentation, and that it is used to decorate a national team jersey is very nice.
The away kit is all black and has been embraced by players. According to Fotbollskanalen, Erling Braut Haaland described it as 'Love it'.
Jersey prices have sparked political backlash. The cheapest version costs 1,249 Norwegian kroner (approximately 110 euros), while a jersey with Haaland's name on the back can cost over 2,100 kroner (about 185 euros). According to Ilta-Sanomat, Norwegian MP Mimir Kristjansson described the prices as completely insane and an unbelievable rip-off, warning that the cost could divide children in schoolyards. NFF's commercial director Jan Ove Nystuen told Ilta-Sanomat that prices follow general increases and are set by Nike.
It's nice that Norwegian cultural heritage gets to be part of an international arena, even though the biggest focus will probably be on Haaland and what he does with the ball.
Sports retailer Unisport has sold over 220,000 World Cup jerseys, but the total number sold across all retailers remains unknown.
NFF faces an April 30 deadline to remove supporter clothing featuring a lion logo, according to VG. The Office of the Attorney General states that the use of the full-figure lion is nearly identical to the lion in the national coat of arms and therefore illegal.
We have not been in contact with either NFF or Nike about this. It came as a surprise. But the ornamentation belongs to the community. It has been used on passports, coins, and banknotes. So it's just nice that it is being used and activated.
I become very happy to see one of our beautiful World Heritage sites represented. The fantastic and beautiful Urnes style looks great on the jersey.
The prices are completely insane. 1,249 kroner for a jersey is an absolutely ridiculous amount.
This is unbelievable ripoff. Most people would do just fine with just the fan jersey, but even that is too expensive.
The result is that in the schoolyard, you divide into those who have the more expensive jersey and those who don't.
If the jerseys sell out before the World Cup, I don't understand anything anymore.
Everything is more expensive nowadays. Clothes are generally more expensive, and unfortunately that is also the case with football jerseys.
The kit must be designed quite carefully when it comes to the use of flags, but when it comes to recognizing the Norwegian flag, I think most people in this country would say: 'Oops, here's something that seems strange.'
I guess that on social media, comments will quickly appear saying that it's not a Norwegian flag. I wouldn't be surprised if NFF has to answer questions about it.
Love it