Fourteen Ethiopian participants in the 2025 Norway Cup football tournament who left their teams and applied for asylum in Norway have had their applications rejected by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI). The authorities assessed each case individually and concluded that the applicants did not meet the criteria for asylum. UDI stated that there were no sufficient protection or humanitarian grounds to grant asylum and that, in line with the best interests of the child, the applicants should be returned to their parents.
UDI rejected the asylum applications of the of Norway cup defectors
Source
- Norwegian Directorate of Immigration | Utlendingsdirektoratet (9 December, 2025), Norway Cup-avhoppere fikk ikke asyl [Norway Cup defectors were not granted asylum],