Before Norway commences their quest for the World Cup, the national team took in game five of the Stanley Cup. Yes, Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland, and the rest of Team Norway are staying in Greensboro, North Carolina, with the Grandover Resort their home during the 2026 World Cup. Greensboro is only about 75 miles away from Raleigh, where game five of the Stanley Cup Final was staged last night.
The home team, the Carolina Hurricanes, beat the Las Vegas Golden Knights 4-2, and with that took a 3-2 lead in the series.
Erling Haaland at the Stanley Cup Final in Raleigh, NC 😂
This is the World Cup 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/fYBTLDHlYq
— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) June 12, 2026
And as you can see, from the video embedded above, and the second one embedded below, Haaland (as well as his national teammates) really got into the spirit of the game. Norway will open their World Cup campaign, with a group stage match against Iraq, on Tuesday night in Foxboro, Massachusetts (in the home stadium of the NFL’s New England Patriots)
Game six of the Stanley Cup Final is Sunday in Las Vegas
Confirmed: @ErlingHaaland is now a huge @Canes fan 👀 #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/lZIpwNJHt0
— NHL (@NHL) June 12, 2026
Erling Haaland at the NHL’s premier event, the Stanley Cup Final, rooting for the Carolina Hurricanes, is yet another example of pro athlete “game recognizing game.”
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.