If you’ve not been to Norway Cup before, it can be difficult to think about what stuff you should bring. Two things in particular that you should bear in mind are:-

• The weather in Oslo during the tournament can be very changeable.  It can go from 30-odd degrees and blazing sun one minute to the most torrential of rain the next.  That, honestly, is not an exaggeration!  We’ve seen rain, hail and shine in the same hour.  There aren’t any clothes washing facilities available, so you need to bring enough gear - kit and civvies - to survive over a week without a washing machine.

• Teams in Norway (and pretty much everywhere else) are allowed to wear black and dark kits with the officials expected to change.  You should bring some coloured shirts – blue and (bright) yellow are good shouts - to accommodate this.  eBay and Vinted are good sources, particularly towards the end of the season.  The Norwegian officials use Nike kit, but you will be working with colleagues from all over, so there are no set colours or brands of kit you need to bring. There’s no need to buy the newest gear if you’re not going to use it at home.

Because of this, you’ll probably need more than you think, even if you can normally travel light.  Observers might get away with just hand luggage, but it’s unlikely.  Referees will definitely need at least one checked bag to be comfortable.  A lot of the group bring two!

Otherwise, the group’s experience is that you should think about bringing the following:-

• Kits – we suggest at least 3 or 4 full kits including a variety of colours (and extra socks - dry socks every day are a good idea) as you will be refereeing for 6 or 7 days.

• Skins or other recovery garments if you have them.

• Astro-shoes/trail trainers and boots. Games can switch between astro and grass and the same grass can be swampy in one place and rock hard in another so you will need both.

• Referee equipment (usual bag or box of tricks - watch/cards/coin/whistle etc).

• Backpack or other small bag for taking your gear to pitches.

• Reuse-able water bottle.  It’s important to stay hydrated and Norwegian tap water is delicious so there’s no need to waste money on bottles of water if you bring your own bottle.  We sometimes get a sports bottle provided but not always.

• Flags (don’t bother with buzzers unless you really can’t live without them and don’t care if they get damaged - though, you might want to use the week to practice without them!).

• Referee training and/or travel kit including warm top and waterproof jacket.

• Mobile phone and charger.  Sounds obvious, but this is how you will receive your appointments online.  If you don’t have free roaming, think about whether your provider offers any packages.  There is some wifi in the accommodation but it’s not always reliable.

• Observers will need a notebook and a tablet or laptop as reports are submitted online.

• Sun cream. The sun can get very strong, so bring the SPF you need.

• Clothes for down time.  You’ll probably need less than you think as you’ll end up spending some of your down time in training/travel kit.

• Flip-flops - really handy for the walk to the shower and for after a pile of games.

• Wash bag/kit and towel(s).  We live in very close quarters for over a week and so good personal hygiene is not optional!

• Any medication & blister plasters.

• Pillow, bedding, and/or sleeping bag.

• Blow up bed, if you would prefer this to the shallow one provided.  For space reasons, this should be a single bed only.  There is not enough room for anyone to have a double.

• Money! Nearly everywhere take card and some places are card only, so bring a currency card or set up a Revolut account.

• Passport – check the date of issue and expiry date to ensure it complies with Norwegian requirements!  It’s your responsibility to do this.

• Padlock & key to lock valuables away.

• Global Health Insurance Card (old E111).

• Travel insurance, having considered your own requirements. Again, this is your responsibility.