Nestled in the Arctic Circle, Tromsø is a city defined by contrasts—the midnight sun in summer, the polar night in winter, and a community where football is more than a sport; it’s a way of life. Tromsø IL’s Chief Commercial Officer, Wiggo Yttergaard, knows this better than most. Growing up in this unique environment, he has seen firsthand how football shapes daily life in Tromsø, connecting locals and providing purpose during the long, snowy winters.
“When you’re here, your whole life revolves around football,” Yttergaard explains. “Players from Tromsø grow up with their network—when training is done, they’re with their friends and family. For players who aren’t local, it’s different. They’re more isolated, spending all their time with teammates.”
In this exclusive interview, Yttergaard discusses the challenges of life in Tromsø and the efforts the club has made to strengthen its bond with the community. From battling deep snowbanks to ensuring kids are part of matchday experiences, Tromsø IL has worked tirelessly to transform its supporter base into one of the most vibrant in Norway.
“It’s amazing to see the change,” Yttergaard shares. “Three years ago, there were hardly any kids at games. Now, we’ve become one of the biggest supporter communities in the country.”
Throughout our time together, Wiggo reflects on the unique challenges and rewards of life in Tromsø, the evolving supporter culture, and the role football plays in bringing people together under the Northern Lights.
When you’re here, your whole life revolves around football. Players from Tromsø grow up with their network—when training is done, they’re with their friends and family.
For players who aren’t local, they’re more isolated. They spend all their time with teammates, focused solely on football. I think that isolation can be a big factor.
Living here is unique. For us, it’s normal, but for many people, Tromsø seems exotic—the darkness, the midnight sun, the Northern Lights.
These are things we sometimes take for granted, though we shouldn’t. I remember when I was a kid, there weren’t tourists here like there are now.
That changed after the BBC came in 2003 and made a documentary about the Northern Lights. Suddenly, people from the UK started coming, and it was like, ‘Wow, why are people travelling here?’
But if you ask my daughter, she’ll tell you winter is the best time. Even in the middle of summer, she’s asking, ‘When will the snow come?’
For many people, Tromsø is a paradise for skiing because you can ski from summit to sea. That’s something very rare, and you have to enjoy the adventure of it.
At the start of winter, it’s kind of exciting—shovelling snow,and being active. But as the season drags on, it becomes harder.
By the end of winter, there’s so much snow that some people can’t even make it to the stadium. Last season, we sold over 4,000 tickets to a game, but maybe half the
Three years ago, there were hardly any kids at games. Since the pandemic, organized activities, including football, saw a drop in participation.
As a club, we’ve worked to change that. We’ve made efforts to bring kids back to the stadium, providing free tickets and ensuring activities are accessible. It’s been successful—we’ve gone from being one of the smallest supporter communities in Norway to one of the biggest.
