Viking is gearing up for a new sponsorship. The cruise line and the Norwegian Football Federation have entered into a five-year agreement naming Viking the main sponsor for the National Team Academy and the country's U-level national teams.
The program is called Future Vikings, which Norwegian Football Federation general secretary Karl-Petter Loken said will help "build the next generation of Norwegian stars."
The National Team Academy identifies and develops the country's most promising 12- to 16-year-olds who can develop into top soccer players at the national and international level. It began in 2015, with players like Ada Hegerberg, Caroline Graham Hansen, Martin Odegard, Erling Braut Haaland and Antonio Nusa having attended the academy. After the academy, the next phase is the U-level national teams.
"We believe Norwegian football is entering a new golden age, and we are pleased to be part of the journey," said Viking chairman and CEO Torstein Hagen, who played the sport in his youth in Norway.