“I want the book to be left open on display at all times”: How Erling Haaland's £100,000 Viking saga donation brings Norwegian history to Bryne
Erling Haaland has supported his hometown of Bryne in Norway through gifts for 1,000 young footballers, travel costs for around 200 supporters and the donation of a rare 16th-century book worth 1.3 million Norwegian kroner. The Manchester City striker has directed his support towards children, local football and the history of the place where he grew up. His latest cultural gift, announced in March 2026, saw him and his father, Alfie Haaland, give a rare Viking saga book to the local library, making an important piece of Norwegian history available to the public.
How did Erling Haaland help 1,000 young footballers in his hometown?Haaland’s support for young players in the Time municipality became public in August 2023, when Bryne FK announced that children under 12 had received new football equipment. The club confirmed that Haaland had arranged the gift for children playing football across the area where he grew up. The packages were handed out through local clubs, allowing the equipment to reach young players rather than being limited to a select group of academy prospects.
According to reports, Haaland arranged 175 boxes of equipment for around 1,000 children. Each package included a football, training clothes, shorts, a bag and a drinking bottle from Aquafigure. The reported value was around 1,500 Norwegian kroner, or approximately £111, per child.
For families, the gift meant that children could receive several useful items for training without their parents having to pay for the full package themselves. Football can involve regular spending on clothing, equipment and travel, particularly as children grow and need replacements. Providing a complete set of gear offered practical help to families while giving young players something they could use on the pitch.
The distribution also involved several clubs in the municipality, including Rosseland, Frøyland, Undheim, Lye and Hognestad. They collected the equipment from Bryne Stadium and organised its distribution among their players.
The scale of the donation made it more than a gift to one team. It reached children across the local football network, giving many young players access to the same basic equipment. For a footballer who began his own journey in the area, the initiative also created a direct link between his success at the highest level and the next generation of local players.
Why did Erling Haaland pay for 200 Bryne FK supporters to travel to a playoff match?In November 2023, Haaland stepped in to help supporters of Bryne FK travel to an important away fixture against IK Start. The match was part of the Norwegian club’s promotion playoffs, and the trip to Kristiansand meant that fans faced travel costs on top of their other expenses.
Haaland agreed to cover train tickets for around 200 supporters. The estimated cost was 175,000 Norwegian kroner, or roughly £13,000 to £15,000, depending on the exchange rate used. Norwegian broadcaster TV 2 reported the arrangement, which was also covered by Dutch public broadcaster NOS.
The help mattered because the expense could have kept some supporters from making the journey. Bryne FK’s marketing manager, Bjørn Hagerup Røken, explained the difficulty fans faced in paying for trips during a period of financial pressure.
The club’s playoff run was significant, too. Bryne had reached the promotion playoffs for the first time since 2006, giving supporters a major occasion to follow their team away from home. Haaland had played for Bryne as a youngster before moving on in his career, so the club was part of his own football story.
The train tickets gave around 200 fans a chance to attend the match without having to cover the full travel cost themselves. Reports also said bus travel would be covered for supporters who could not use the train. The gesture helped make it easier for fans to stand behind their team during an important match, rather than leaving the journey affordable only for those with extra money to spare.
What rare Viking book did Erling Haaland donate to Bryne’s public library?Haaland’s support for his hometown reached beyond football in March 2026, when he donated a rare historical book to the local library. He had bought the book with his father, Alfie Haaland, for 1.3 million Norwegian kroner, around £100,000, at an auction in December 2025. The purchase set a record for a book sale in Norway, according to BBC Sport.
The book is a 1594 printed edition of the Viking royal sagas by the medieval historian Snorri Sturluson. It tells stories about Norse kings, queens, farmers and warriors. The copy is especially rare because it is the only surviving copy of that edition in private hands, making its move into public ownership important for people interested in Norwegian history.
Haaland and his father chose to give the book to the library in Bryne rather than keep it in a private collection. Haaland explained what he wanted people to get from the gift:
“I want the book to be left open on display at all times, so that people can read it and learn the stories of those who came from our area.”
The wish was just that people should be able to see the book and learn from it. Its value is not only in its age or auction price, but also in the stories it holds about the region’s past. Putting it in a public library gives residents, students and visitors a chance to connect with that history.
The donation also offers a way to bring younger readers closer to local heritage. A rare book can feel distant when it is kept behind private doors, but a public display makes it easier for people to encounter it. Haaland’s gift links his international football career with the history of the community where he grew up.
How do Erling Haaland’s donations connect his football success with Bryne?The three initiatives show different ways Haaland has supported the place that shaped his early years. The football kits went to children who needed equipment for the game, the train tickets helped supporters follow their club, and the rare book gave the public access to an important piece of history.
Each gift addressed a specific need. The equipment donation reached around 1,000 children across local football clubs. The travel support helped approximately 200 Bryne supporters attend a key away match in 2023. The book donation, announced in 2026, placed a valuable historical work in the hands of a public institution.
These efforts also show that support for a hometown does not have to take only one form. Helping young players means investing in their chance to take part in sport. Paying for supporters’ travel helps preserve the connection between a club and its fans. Donating a rare book helps protect local history and gives future generations a chance to learn from it.
Haaland was born in Leeds, England, while his father was playing for Leeds United, but he grew up in Bryne, in Norway’s Jæren region. His career has taken him to the top of European football with Manchester City and Norway, yet these gifts have been directed towards the community linked to his childhood.
His support has reached beyond the football pitch: from the equipment used by children at training to the fans travelling to watch their club and the rare book now available at the local library. The donations offer clear examples of how Haaland has used his success to support different parts of life in Bryne.
How did Erling Haaland help 1,000 young footballers in his hometown?Haaland’s support for young players in the Time municipality became public in August 2023, when Bryne FK announced that children under 12 had received new football equipment. The club confirmed that Haaland had arranged the gift for children playing football across the area where he grew up. The packages were handed out through local clubs, allowing the equipment to reach young players rather than being limited to a select group of academy prospects.
According to reports, Haaland arranged 175 boxes of equipment for around 1,000 children. Each package included a football, training clothes, shorts, a bag and a drinking bottle from Aquafigure. The reported value was around 1,500 Norwegian kroner, or approximately £111, per child.
For families, the gift meant that children could receive several useful items for training without their parents having to pay for the full package themselves. Football can involve regular spending on clothing, equipment and travel, particularly as children grow and need replacements. Providing a complete set of gear offered practical help to families while giving young players something they could use on the pitch.
The distribution also involved several clubs in the municipality, including Rosseland, Frøyland, Undheim, Lye and Hognestad. They collected the equipment from Bryne Stadium and organised its distribution among their players.
The scale of the donation made it more than a gift to one team. It reached children across the local football network, giving many young players access to the same basic equipment. For a footballer who began his own journey in the area, the initiative also created a direct link between his success at the highest level and the next generation of local players.
Why did Erling Haaland pay for 200 Bryne FK supporters to travel to a playoff match?In November 2023, Haaland stepped in to help supporters of Bryne FK travel to an important away fixture against IK Start. The match was part of the Norwegian club’s promotion playoffs, and the trip to Kristiansand meant that fans faced travel costs on top of their other expenses.
Haaland agreed to cover train tickets for around 200 supporters. The estimated cost was 175,000 Norwegian kroner, or roughly £13,000 to £15,000, depending on the exchange rate used. Norwegian broadcaster TV 2 reported the arrangement, which was also covered by Dutch public broadcaster NOS.
The help mattered because the expense could have kept some supporters from making the journey. Bryne FK’s marketing manager, Bjørn Hagerup Røken, explained the difficulty fans faced in paying for trips during a period of financial pressure.
The club’s playoff run was significant, too. Bryne had reached the promotion playoffs for the first time since 2006, giving supporters a major occasion to follow their team away from home. Haaland had played for Bryne as a youngster before moving on in his career, so the club was part of his own football story.
The train tickets gave around 200 fans a chance to attend the match without having to cover the full travel cost themselves. Reports also said bus travel would be covered for supporters who could not use the train. The gesture helped make it easier for fans to stand behind their team during an important match, rather than leaving the journey affordable only for those with extra money to spare.
What rare Viking book did Erling Haaland donate to Bryne’s public library?Haaland’s support for his hometown reached beyond football in March 2026, when he donated a rare historical book to the local library. He had bought the book with his father, Alfie Haaland, for 1.3 million Norwegian kroner, around £100,000, at an auction in December 2025. The purchase set a record for a book sale in Norway, according to BBC Sport.
The book is a 1594 printed edition of the Viking royal sagas by the medieval historian Snorri Sturluson. It tells stories about Norse kings, queens, farmers and warriors. The copy is especially rare because it is the only surviving copy of that edition in private hands, making its move into public ownership important for people interested in Norwegian history.
Haaland and his father chose to give the book to the library in Bryne rather than keep it in a private collection. Haaland explained what he wanted people to get from the gift:
“I want the book to be left open on display at all times, so that people can read it and learn the stories of those who came from our area.”
The wish was just that people should be able to see the book and learn from it. Its value is not only in its age or auction price, but also in the stories it holds about the region’s past. Putting it in a public library gives residents, students and visitors a chance to connect with that history.
The donation also offers a way to bring younger readers closer to local heritage. A rare book can feel distant when it is kept behind private doors, but a public display makes it easier for people to encounter it. Haaland’s gift links his international football career with the history of the community where he grew up.
How do Erling Haaland’s donations connect his football success with Bryne?The three initiatives show different ways Haaland has supported the place that shaped his early years. The football kits went to children who needed equipment for the game, the train tickets helped supporters follow their club, and the rare book gave the public access to an important piece of history.
Each gift addressed a specific need. The equipment donation reached around 1,000 children across local football clubs. The travel support helped approximately 200 Bryne supporters attend a key away match in 2023. The book donation, announced in 2026, placed a valuable historical work in the hands of a public institution.
These efforts also show that support for a hometown does not have to take only one form. Helping young players means investing in their chance to take part in sport. Paying for supporters’ travel helps preserve the connection between a club and its fans. Donating a rare book helps protect local history and gives future generations a chance to learn from it.
Haaland was born in Leeds, England, while his father was playing for Leeds United, but he grew up in Bryne, in Norway’s Jæren region. His career has taken him to the top of European football with Manchester City and Norway, yet these gifts have been directed towards the community linked to his childhood.
His support has reached beyond the football pitch: from the equipment used by children at training to the fans travelling to watch their club and the rare book now available at the local library. The donations offer clear examples of how Haaland has used his success to support different parts of life in Bryne.
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