NEC in Norway: From Reindeer Safaris to Fjord Trips
August 27, 2026 ·
NEC met Bodø/Glimt in a Champions League match that lasted just three minutes, leaving fans with memories. This article describes the atmosphere in Bodø and the preparations of NEC fans.
NEC in Norway: From Reindeer Safaris to Fjord Trips
According to Vi.
Background
Bodø/Glimt, known as a surprise club in Europe, have shown impressive performance in recent years. They managed to beat NEC with a score of 3-1 in the previous meeting, showing their ability to analyze opponents and exploit weaknesses. This adds an interesting dimension in the context of the Champions League, where smaller teams often pull off big surprises.
Why this is important
The match between NEC and Bodø/Glimt was in the spotlight due to its significant impact on NEC's Champions League campaign. With it only lasting three minutes, many supporters felt disappointed, but were still enthusiastic about supporting their team. This shows how important moments in the Champions League competition are for teams trying to reach the group stage.
Main Points
- NEC in Norway: From Reindeer Safaris to Fjord Trips.
- NEC met Bodø/Glimt in a Champions League match that lasted just three minutes, leaving fans with memories.
- NEC in Noorwegen: van elandsafari en fjordentocht tot ijsbadrel.
NEC's departure to Norway should have been a miracle for the team from Nijmegen, but what happened instead was a new Champions League fairy tale for Bodø/Glimt. The match, which was expected to be a historic moment for NEC, only lasted three minutes, so the fans felt more euphoria before the match than during the match itself. Writers from VI reported live from the north of Norway and witnessed how a city that always wore yellow on match days was now also decorated with the red, green and black colors of NEC supporters.
In recent years, Dutch football has become familiar with Bodø/Glimt. Teams such as AZ, PSV, Ajax and FC Twente have previously visited the north of Norway, and now it's NEC's turn to face the surprise team from the Eredivisie. A striking difference was seen in their first meeting in Nijmegen, where Bodø/Glimt managed to analyze NEC well and exploit their weaknesses to achieve a 3-1 win at De Goffert.
Now, NEC needs a miracle to advance to the Champions League group stages, but around four hundred NEC fans remain eager to explore the arctic circle. In the match between Bodø/Glimt and NEC, the opinion of Joshua Smits, the former NEC goalkeeper who now plays for Adelaide, cannot be ignored. His phone rang constantly after NEC eliminated Olympiakos Piraeus and met Bodø/Glimt as their next opponents. Smits is happy to provide tips on interesting places in Bodø, including four coffee shops, seven restaurants, a sauna, and three different hiking routes.
However, the journey to Bodø is not easy. Two days before the second leg of the Champions League playoffs, many flights were canceled due to a strike by Norwegian air traffic controllers. An NEC supporter stuck in Bergen was forced to skip his planned reindeer safari. Luckily, in Bodø, everything is within walking distance. It only takes ten minutes from the airport to the stadium, and about fifteen minutes to reach the city center. The atmosphere in Bodø at this time is quite friendly, not too cold, and the road to the city center is lined with charming, colorful wooden houses.
The yellow flags of Bodø/Glimt were flying everywhere, indicating strong support from the local population. A local resident explained, "Just wait, on match day there will be more flags. Many people hang flags especially for the match."
However, the number of NEC supporters who attended was not too large. Many of them only arrived on Monday afternoon, so the atmosphere at the local sports cafe was quiet. The cafe has been decorated with scarves and attributes from big European clubs such as AS Roma, Sporting Portugal, Internazionale and Manchester City. Now, it is NEC's turn to add to this collection, even though it is still considered a little-known club in this city.
A slightly bored looking bartender hoped, "I hope NEC wins, maybe that will make things livelier here."
On Monday morning, the atmosphere around the port of Bodø was relatively quiet. However, when the NEC team landed at the airport around midday, more supporters started to arrive from the flights that landed, including from Munich. These supporters wore red, green and black attributes, showing their enthusiasm for supporting their favorite team.
What happened next
NEC must now fight hard to improve their performance if they want to continue to the Champions League group phase. They need to analyze this defeat and find a way to overcome the weaknesses that Bodø/Glimt have exploited. With the support of around four hundred passionate fans, NEC is expected to make a comeback in the upcoming match.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the result of the NEC vs Bodø/Glimt match?
Bodø/Glimt won 3-1 over NEC in the first meeting in Nijmegen.
How will this result impact NEC's position in the Champions League?
NEC needs a miracle to progress to the Champions League group stages after losing to Bodø/Glimt.
Who scored the goal in the NEC vs Bodø/Glimt match?
Details about the goalscorer are not mentioned in context.
When is the second leg of NEC vs Bodø/Glimt scheduled?
The second leg match is scheduled two days after this article was written.
What did NEC fans do during the match in Bodø?
Around four hundred NEC supporters remain enthusiastic about exploring the northern arctic circle.