Ullevaal calling: Young mascots to take centre stage in Oslo
Monday, March 23, 2026
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Twenty‑two children from across Norway will walk the players out at the 2026 UEFA Women’s Champions League final – a moment to celebrate the link between grassroots and elite football and inspire more young fans of the women’s game.
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There was no shortage of excitement at Ullevaal Stadium this week, as the 22 player mascots for the 2026 UEFA Women’s Champions League final learned their role in the showpiece event, staged at the stadium on 23 May.
Standing beside the trophy on a snow-clad pitch, the selected children reacted with a mix of disbelief, pride and joy, breaking into smiles – a moment that captured what the occasion means beyond the match itself.
For the Football Association of Norway (NFF), the mascot initiative is designed to connect the biggest match in European women’s club football with the grassroots communities that underpin it, helping to stimulate further interest in the women’s game among younger generations.
National representation
The final group – selected from nearly 500 eager applicants – truly reflects the breadth of Norwegian football, from Kristiansand in the far south to Alta in the Arctic north. Between them, the 22 girls and boys aged seven to nine represent every one of the NFF’s 18 regional associations.
The national spread reflects the NFF’s aim to make the final feel accessible and relevant to young people regardless of geography or ability.
"It is a match that everyone, from the world’s biggest stars to all girls, boys, and volunteers in grassroots football, should feel a sense of ownership of."
"This is the biggest match in the world for women in 2026, and it is a match that everyone, from the world’s biggest stars to all girls, boys, and volunteers in grassroots football, should feel a sense of ownership of," said Lise Klaveness, president of the NFF.
"In Norway, elite and grassroots football are closely connected," Klaveness added. "Having representatives from all our 18 regions is a strong symbol that we stand together in Norwegian football to host this match, and that the distance from the local pitch to the world’s biggest stage is short."
Inspiring the next generation
The mascots’ place at the heart of the pre‑match ceremony – a hallmark of every major UEFA final – is a powerful reminder of the thread that connects grassroots football to the elite game.
It gives the mascots a rare, first-hand experience of the game at its highest level, turning it from something they watch into something they feel part of.
Hosting the Women’s Champions League final – the first UEFA club final to be held in the country – adds to the growing momentum in the Norwegian women’s game, with the NFF having launched its first women’s football strategy earlier this month. It sets out an ambitious plan backed by dedicated investment to boost participation, performance and commercial value.