“I Prefer Snacks and Pepsi Max”: Solbakken Gets Brutally Honest About the 2026 World Cup Draw

Norway is living a historic moment after qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, but head coach Ståle Solbakken made headlines for a surprisingly honest confession: he would rather stay home with snacks and Pepsi Max than attend FIFA’s glamorous official draw ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Solbakken admitted that this week is thrilling for the entire country, yet he personally feels no excitement at all for the type of high-profile event FIFA organizes around the draw. Despite his reluctance, he will travel because regulations require every head coach to be present. His assistant, Brede Hangeland, had handled all previous draws and hoped to go again, but this time FIFA’s rules leave no room for negotiation.

The Norwegian coach explained that he has never connected with the style of FIFA events—red carpets, forced small talk, staged receptions, and ceremonial protocol.

“I’m not interested at all. I’d prefer snacks and Pepsi Max on my sofa,” he said bluntly.

Solbakken also revealed that FIFA dictates exactly who each national delegation may bring, from the team leader and general administrator to the head of security. After the draw, a staff member will remain in the United States to select Norway’s base camp, depending on the group they are assigned. Solbakken has no plans to accompany them, reaffirming that his focus stays strictly on football preparation.

Above all, the coach wants Norway to maintain the momentum that led them to qualify for their first World Cup in decades. The theatrics of FIFA’s ceremonies mean little to him; what matters is the team’s performance heading into 2026.

He wrapped up his comments with refreshing honesty: he will attend only because he must, and the moment the ceremony ends, he plans to catch the next flight home.