Norway Cup is the world's largest football tournament for children and young adults aged 6 to 19. During the annual tournament, there have been several cases where foreign players, who received visas to participate, have applied for protection in Norway.

In 2025, 1,970 teams participated in the tournament. Among them were 15 players from Ethiopia who applied for protection. All were unaccompanied minors. The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration has now concluded that only one out of 15 is granted protection.

No grounds for asylum

“At the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration, we assess each case individually while also ensuring that the visa and asylum schemes are not misused. The rejections are based on assessments of all relevant requirements, and only one of these 15 applicants meets the conditions for protection,” says Wenche Fone, Director of Protection at the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration.

“In addition, we have assessed what is in the best interest of the children, and our conclusion is that it is best for them to return to their guardians. There are neither sufficient humanitarian grounds nor is the situation in their home area unsafe enough for us to grant asylum”, Fone concludes.