8,000-seat stadium at frozen end of the earth: the incredible underdogs who could finish Ange

Standing in the way of Ange Postecoglou’s push to take Tottenham to their second ever European final are a little-known giant killer from north of the Arctic Circle.

Bodø/Glimt have won four of the last five Norwegian top division titles and they are the first team from the Scandinavian country to reach the final four of a European competition.

But many in England are scratching their heads and wondering just who Spurs’ Europa League semi-final opponents are.

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Postecoglou is not however, as the Australian knows all too well the threat posed by the team who played in the second tier of Norwegian football as recently as 2018.

In his first season in charge of Scottish giants Celtic in 2021/22, Postecoglou’s side was humbled 5-1 on aggregate by Bodø/Glimt when they met in the knockout round playoffs of the Europa Conference League.

In that same campaign, they also defeated Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma.

The away trip to the second biggest town in northern Norway, that boasts a population of a little more than 40,000 people, is a daunting one.

They play on artificial turf to minimise the impact of the freezing temperatures that cause the Norwegian season to be played outside of winter, and in a stadium with a capacity of just 8,270.

Italian side Lazio were beaten there 2-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final, that Bodo/Glimt eventually won on penalties at Stadio Olimpico.

Greek league leaders Olympiacos were humbled 3-0 in their Round of 16 visit, while Dutch side Twente were battered 5-2 when they made the journey north in the knockout phase playoffs.

But as well as presenting a formidable away day, Bodø/Glimt are priding themselves on being the most-travelled team in Europe.

BODO, NORWAY - APRIL 10: Snow is beeing removed from the pitch ahead of the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 Quarter Final First Leg match between FK Bodo/Glimt and S.S. Lazio at Aspmyra Stadion on April 10, 2025 in Bodo, Norway. (Photo by David Lidstrom - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

BODO, NORWAY - APRIL 10: General view inside the stadium prior to the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 Quarter Final First Leg match between FK Bodo/Glimt and S.S. Lazio at Aspmyra Stadion on April 10, 2025 in Bodo, Norway. (Photo by David Lidstrom - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

Their European ventures have already taken them to Rome, Athens, Nice and Manchester, where they scared fellow semi-finalists Manchester United by leading 2-1 at Old Trafford before falling 3-2.

They also rack up the frequent flyer points in their domestic competition with the distance between Bodø and Norwegian capital Oslo slightly further than the gap separating Melbourne and Sydney.

Their legion of dedicated fans have been splashing the cash to follow the team too.

Trains to Oslo are limited and it is a 17-hour journey by car, meaning flying is the way to go.

But the mid-week European nights require even more savvy planning as the only non-Nordic destination that possesses a direct flight from Bodø is Munich.

Supporters told Reuters that the trip to Rome for the away leg against Lazio cost them roughly $4,500 each and the journey to London for the first leg of the semi-final is set to be even more costly.

There will still be a sea of yellow in the away end, along with an array of yellow toothbrushes that supporters carry to matches in a tradition dating back to the 1970s.

The team will need their support more than ever against Tottenham as several of their stars will be missing.

Captain Patrick Berg, fellow midfielder Hakon Evjen and striker Andreas Helmersen, who scored a 109th minute goal at Lazio to send the quarter-final to penalties, will all sit out after receiving too many yellow cards.

Making things trickier is that centre back Odin Bjortuft and winger Ole Blomburg are both likely to miss the match through injury.

But manager Kjetil Knutsen said they believe “everything is possible” after stunning Lazio and will carry forward that belief into the Tottenham clash.

“I don’t believe in miracles, I believe in our journey,” Knutsen told UEFA.com after the quarter-final victory.

“Today, the magic was with us. We played an extraordinary match, and we’re incredibly proud to be in the semi-finals.”

ROME, ITALY - APRIL 17: Players of FK Bodo/Glimt celebrate in front of their fans, after FK Bodo/Glimt defeat Lazio 3-2 in the penalty shootout to progress through to the Semi-Finals of the Europa League, following the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 Quarter Final Second Leg match between S.S. Lazio and FK Bodo/Glimt at Stadio Olimpico on April 17, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Tullio Puglia - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

They will also be buoyed by their impressive European record of winning eight of their last ten two-legged continental ties.

But a solid start in north London will be the key for the Norwegian outfit.

Tottenham managed to pull off a 1-0 victory in Frankfurt after drawing at home 1-1 in their quarter-final tie.

Postecoglou will be eager to head north next week with a multiple goal advantage, because based on recent results on the artificial turf and the fighting qualities of Bodø/Glimt, the second leg is going to be a serious challenge for Spurs.

A trip to Bilbao in Spain for the Europa League final on May 22 awaits the winner after 180 minutes, or maybe more, of football.

The Norwegians will be hoping they have to find more spare cash to fund yet another European trip, while Postecoglou will be hoping lightning does not strike twice and he extends his stay at Tottenham as defeat all but certainly ends his two-year reign.

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