Henningsvær Stadium: is this the world’s most famous football pitch?

Tie up your laces and grab your football, we’re heading to the Henningsvær, Norway, soccer stadium in the Lofoten Islands.

Henningsvær Stadium isn’t home to a Champions League club, it can’t fit 100,000 fans (or even a fraction of that), and it will never host a major tournament. Doesn’t matter. It’s still one of the most beautiful football pitches you’ll see anywhere in the world.

If you’re into cool football fields, I have a little secret for you: Norway’s Lofoten Islands has one of the most unique fields in the world. I know first hand. I’ve been to Lofoten twice, in October and February, and on the second trip I drove out to Henningsvær and flew my drone over the pitch.

What makes it so special? Here’s an in-depth look at everything you need to know about visiting Henningsvær Football Stadium, from getting there and parking to the drone rules.

Why visit Henningsvær Stadium?

Why visit? Let’s be clear. Where else will you see a soccer stadium well above the Arctic Circle, surrounded by the dramatic mountains, inlets, and open waters of the Norwegian Sea? Nowhere.

Real talk: the field looks like something EA Sports dreamt up for a video game, not somewhere you can visit in person. But you can. And you definitely should.

Why is the pitch there in the first place?

Rolling up over the bridges into Henningsvær, you’ll notice the dramatic rocky shores with stockfish drying racks scattered about the boulders near the chilly coasts. So, how did a soccer pitch end up here?

The town was a booming fishing village in the 20th century, and the local sports club, Henningsvær IL, needed somewhere to play. The Norwegian Football Federation lists the club as founded in 1946. The only problem? Henningsvær is spread over a cluster of small, rocky islands, with barely a flat patch of ground in sight.

But how did the football pitch get there?

Hard work and determination can yield some pretty amazing results.

The solution was to make some flat ground. The rocky southern tip of Hellandsøya, one of Henningsvær’s islands, was blasted and levelled, providing the perfect place to lay the world’s most beautiful soccer pitch. Today, it’s an artificial pitch with floodlights, a small clubhouse and no stands at all: the granite and the sea do the job instead.

Who plays there now?

Currently, Henningsvær IL doesn’t enter any teams in official league football, and the pitch is owned and run by Vågan municipality. But it’s far from empty. Local kids train here, and it hosts children’s tournaments, school sports and private events, so the field is still well used. In summer, when it’s light around the clock, games can carry on late into the night.

It has had its moment in the spotlight, too. In 2021, the Norwegian striker Ada Hegerberg came here with the freestyler Liv Cooke for a FIFA film about the pitch.

Can anyone visit?

Anyone can watch from the sidelines or try their luck at getting the ball through the goalposts. There are no tickets or fees. Just remember that it’s the village’s pitch: if local kids are training or a game is on, watch from the edge and wait your turn.

Or, if you’re just here for an epic photo, you’re welcome to do that, too.

In summer, volunteers from the sports club sometimes run a small kiosk in the clubhouse, but don’t count on it being open.

How do I capture the photo?

Arrive around sunrise or sunset, as these times of day typically provide excellent lighting for photos of the pitch.

While you can get some great shots of the local culture around the clubhouse and pitch, nothing is better than capturing the dramatic Lofoten Island landscapes surrounding the Henningsvær Pitch from above.

Henningsvær is hiding a secret that only reveals itself if you just so happen to have a drone with you (judging from my trips to Lofoten, that would cover about 90% of visitors anyway). When I visited in February, the weather was looking distinctly unpromising, but I got the drone up anyway and the view from above was insane. The aerial shots on this page are all from that flight.

If you don’t have a drone, you can walk on a path that ends with a view of the pitch and the village behind it. It’s signposted as a viewpoint and takes you past the stockfish racks.

Following the rules

Are drones allowed on the pitch?

Yes, you can fly a drone here, but it isn’t a free-for-all. Norway follows the EU drone rules. Register as a drone operator before you go (in your home country if it’s an EU or EASA member, otherwise at flydrone.no), pass the A1/A3 online test if your drone weighs 250g or more, and carry liability insurance unless your drone weighs less than 250g. Stay below 120 metres, keep the drone in sight and don’t fly over people. Check the zone map at dronesoner.no before you take off. If you’re visiting from outside Norway, the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority also asks you to register your camera use with the National Security Authority (NSM).

Just as important, Henningsvær is a village where people live, and Visit Lofoten says drone traffic around the pitch has become excessive. So use common sense. Keep your flights short, stay away from homes, boats and anyone playing on the pitch, respect any local’s requests not to fly near their homes or vehicles, and pay attention to any potentially dangerous winds, which can pick up fast out here.

Other rules

When you visit, you’ll want to be aware of the following guidelines:

• No camping overnight.
• Dogs aren’t allowed on the pitch.
• Smoking and consuming alcohol are prohibited.
• Don’t interrupt training, organised activities or maintenance work.
• Respect any gates or signs saying the pitch is closed, and take your rubbish home with you.

Planning your visit to Henningsvær Stadium

For the bigger picture, including where else to go on the islands, see my Lofoten Islands guide and my Henningsvær travel guide.

Address

Løktveien 25, 8312 Henningsvær, Norway

Opening times

You can technically visit the stadium 24 hours daily. Playing under the Midnight Sun, which shines from late May to mid-July, is actually a local favourite, and the floodlights keep the pitch in use through the long, dark winter.

Parking

There’s a small parking area by the pitch at the end of the road, but it fills up quickly in summer. Henningsvær’s streets are narrow, and street parking is generally not allowed unless a space is signposted, so if it’s full, use one of the marked car parks in the village and walk. Most car parks in Vågan municipality, which covers Henningsvær, charge between NOK 26 and NOK 45 an hour, paid through the EasyPark app or a machine.

Visiting independently

Getting to the pitch is easy enough.

It’s about half an hour’s drive from Svolvær, and you can easily reach the main village by car or bus. Local bus 18-743 runs between Svolvær and Henningsvær in about 40 minutes. Check the times in the Reis app before you go, as departures are limited.

By air

The closest airport is Svolvær, about 40 minutes’ drive from the pitch, with Widerøe flights from Bodø and Tromsø.

For more flights and a better choice of hire cars, take a flight from Oslo to Harstad/Narvik Airport, Evenes, with Norwegian or SAS.

Flights take about 1.5 hours. Then it’s about a 3-hour drive to the pitch. That’s what I did in February: I picked up a hire car at the airport and drove.

By boat

The passenger-only express boat from Bodø to Svolvær takes around three and a quarter hours and usually runs once a day. Book through Reis Nordland, then take the bus or a taxi to Henningsvær.

It doesn’t carry cars. If you want to bring a car, take the Torghatten Nord car ferry from Bodø to Moskenes (3 to 4 hours) and drive about two and a half hours east along the E10, or the shorter car ferry from Skutvik to Svolvær. The Hurtigruten and Havila coastal ships also call at Svolvær.

Where to stay

Tobiasbrygga

If you’re looking to stay in a place that’s uniquely Norwegian (and, specifically, has the Lofoten Islands Charm), Tobiasbrygga is a perfect choice.

Your apartment-style accommodation is one of 15 apartments on a fishing pier in the heart of the iconic fishing town, a short walk from the art galleries, shops, and cafes.

Rooms have plenty of space, all the amenities, and a cool aesthetic that mixes old-world traditions and modern design. Try cooking freshly caught seafood in your full kitchen, which you can enjoy on your harbour balcony on warmer evenings.

Check Rates and Availability for Tobiasbrygga

Henningsvær Rorbuer

For the classic Lofoten experience, stay in a converted fisherman’s cabin. The bright red Henningsvær Rorbuer sits right in the village, with contemporary cabin decor inside.

Stay in Svolvær

I based myself in Svolvær on both of my trips, and it’s an easy half-hour drive from there to the pitch. Find my favourite hotels and restaurants in my Svolvær travel guide.

Alternatively, Check All Accommodation on Booking.com

Henningsvær Stadium map

Explore more of the Lofoten Islands

• Plan Your Visit to the Lofoten Islands with this Guide
• Delving into the Lofoten Islands’ Food Scene
• Henningsvær Travel Guide: Things to Do in the Jewel of the Lofoten Islands
• Svolvær Travel Guide: The Capital of the Lofoten Islands

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