After a few years with declining attendance at local football matches, Norwegian fans turned out in droves for last week’s season openers. A total of 62,503 people showed up at the eight matches played by clubs in the country’s top league, compared to just 53,752 last year.
News bureau NTB reported that attendance was the best since 2011, with Rosenborg of Trondheim drawing the most fans. Nearly 20,000 (19,872, to be exact) filled Trondheim’s Lerkendal stadium to watch their hometown heroes, while Vålerenga of Oslo drew the next-biggest crowd of 14,821 at Ullevaal Stadium in the nation’s capital.
Top-ranked Molde attracted 8,308 fans to follow last year’s double champions (Molde won both the league and the national cup tournament). Lillestrøm drew 4,961, Sandefjord 4,446, Tromsø 4,035, Stabæk 3,512 and Mjondalen 2,548.
newsinenglish.no staff