Norway Cup returns to Oslo from July 25 to August 1, 2026, bringing young football players, coaches, parents and supporters back to Ekebergsletta and other football fields around the city.
According to the Norway Cup website, the tournament is the world’s largest football tournament for children and young people aged 6 to 19. In Oslo, it is more than a football event. It is part of the summer calendar: matches at Sletta, teams moving between pitches, parents checking schedules, and children playing games they may remember for years.
For many young players, Norway Cup is the biggest football tournament they will ever play.
What is Norway Cup?
Norway Cup is an international youth football tournament organized by Bækkelagets Sportsklub in Oslo.
On its history page, Norway Cup says the tournament started in 1972 with 420 teams and 8,400 participants. More than five decades later, it has become one of the best-known youth football tournaments in the world.
The tournament also says participants, players and referees from 127 nations have taken part over the years. It has had a special place in Norwegian women’s football as well. According to Norway Cup, girls’ teams were included from the start in 1972, four years before the Norwegian Football Association officially recognized women’s football.
That gives the tournament a broader meaning than the final scores. Norway Cup is about football, but it is also about travel, team life, school-floor accommodation, missed chances, late goals and the handshake after the match.
When is Norway Cup 2026?
Norway Cup 2026 takes place from July 25 to August 1 in Oslo.
The dates are listed on the Norway Cup homepage, where teams can also find links to registration, match schedule and results, participant cards and prices, age groups, pitch map, tournament regulations and other practical information.
Teams planning to travel to Oslo should start early. Norway Cup is a large tournament, and the week involves more than showing up for kickoff. Accommodation, transport, meals, match times and team logistics all need to be organized before arrival.
Who can play in Norway Cup?
Norway Cup is for children and young people aged 6 to 19.
The tournament includes boys’ and girls’ classes. According to the age groups page, the 2026 tournament includes 11-a-side classes for older age groups, 9-a-side football for 12- and 13-year-olds, and 7-a-side football for several younger classes.
The same page lists match lengths, from 2 x 30 minutes for the oldest classes to shorter games for younger children.
This broad age structure is part of Norway Cup’s identity. It is not only a tournament for elite academy players. It is also for local clubs, ordinary teams, younger children, school friends and players who simply want the experience of a major football week in Oslo.
Where is Norway Cup played?
Norway Cup is closely associated with Ekebergsletta in Oslo, often simply called “Sletta.” Matches are also played at other football fields around the city.
That means Norway Cup is not one closed stadium event. It is spread across Oslo. Teams move between pitches, schools, hotels, public transport and activities throughout the week.
For families and team leaders, planning matters. A good Norway Cup week depends on knowing where the team is staying, how players will travel, when meals are served, and how much time is needed to get from one place to another.
Registration for Norway Cup 2026
Teams can register through the Norway Cup registration system, which is linked from the tournament website.
Before registering, team leaders should review the practical pages for age groups, participant cards and prices, tournament regulations, and safe participation.
Teams should also check information for guest players, overage players, match schedules and accommodation before finalizing the trip.
Transport during Norway Cup
Norway Cup recommends public transport for getting to Ekebergsletta and other football fields.
According to the tournament’s transport information, everyone with a participant wristband travels free on Ruter transport in zone 1 during Norway Cup. The same page says tram, subway and bus are the easiest ways to travel to matches, and that teams should use the Ruter app or travel planner.
That advice is worth taking seriously. Oslo can be busy during tournament week, and driving to Ekebergsletta is not always the easiest solution. Parents and team leaders should allow extra time, especially when moving younger players between accommodation, meals and matches.
Accommodation for teams and visitors
Norway Cup provides information about overnight options on its accommodation page.
The tournament says it collaborates with Thon Hotel for hotel accommodation for participants and visitors. The accommodation package applies to teams staying overnight for the full week. The same full-week principle applies to teams staying overnight at schools.
For travelling teams, accommodation is one of the most important parts of the week. School accommodation, hotels, meal plans, transport and match schedules all have to work together.
A badly planned tournament trip becomes stressful quickly. A well-planned one gives children what they came for: football, friends and a week away with the team.
Activities during Norway Cup week
Norway Cup is built around football, but the week also includes activities for players, families and visitors.
The activities page lists museums and attractions, partner offers, the opening ceremony and concert, and the week’s program.
For visiting teams, especially those coming from outside Oslo or from abroad, Norway Cup can become both a football tournament and a summer trip to the Norwegian capital.
That is part of why the tournament has lasted.
Children remember goals. Coaches remember the player who forgot his boots. Parents remember the walk between pitches, the early breakfast, the rain, the heat, the wrong bus stop and the game that should have been won.
Norway Cup puts all of that into one week.
Why Norway Cup matters
Norway Cup matters because it remains one of the rare football events where the scale is enormous but the central figure is still the child.
Modern football is increasingly professional, branded and monitored. Norway Cup still belongs to boot bags, club tracksuits, tired volunteers, nervous parents and young players trying to find the right pitch before kickoff.
On its history page, Norway Cup says its vision is to be “the world’s largest and most important arena for the joy of sport and friendship.”
That may sound simple. It is also the reason youth football still matters.
A good Norway Cup is not only measured by how many teams arrive in Oslo. It is measured by whether children leave with the right memories.
Norway Cup 2026 at a glance
Tournament: Norway Cup 2026
Dates: July 25 – August 1, 2026
Location: Oslo, Norway
Main area: Ekebergsletta and other football fields around Oslo
Age range: 6 to 19 years
Organizer: Bækkelagets Sportsklub
Registration: Through the Norway Cup registration system
Best for: Youth football teams, parents, coaches, supporters and travelling clubs
Norway Cup is not just another youth football tournament. It is a Norwegian summer institution, an international football meeting place and, for thousands of young footballers a memory that can last long after the final whistle.