Bodø/Glimt vs Man City: 3-1 Shock Upset in Champions League

Bodø/Glimt stunned Manchester City with a historic 3-1 victory in the UEFA Champions League league phase on January 20, 2026, at Aspmyra Stadion. Norwegian debutants Kasper Høgh and Jens Hauge scored the goals that handed the English giants one of their most humiliating defeats in European competition history.

Final Score: Bodø/Glimt 3 – 1 Manchester City | Competition: UEFA Champions League League Phase | Date: 20 Jan 2026 | Venue: Aspmyra Stadion, Bodø | Goals: Høgh 22′, 24′, Hauge 58′

How did Bodø Glimt beat Man City?

Bodø/Glimt produced a clinical display to dismantle Manchester City at Aspmyra Stadion. The Norwegian side scored with three of their eight attempts while keeping City to five shots on target despite the visitors dominating possession at 65.8%.

Key goals and moments

Kasper Høgh opened the scoring in the 22nd minute and doubled the lead just two minutes later. Jens Hauge sealed the victory in the 58th minute with a curling effort into the top corner that sent the 8,000-capacity stadium into raptures.

“Jens Hauge sent the home fans wild inside the 8,000-capacity Aspmyra stadium by curling into the top corner in the 58th to make the score a scarcely believable 3-0.”

— ESPN match report

Rayan Cherki pulled one back for City in the 60th minute, but Rodri’s dismissal two minutes later ended any hopes of a comeback. The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner saw his second yellow card and was sent off in the 62nd minute.

Tactical breakdown

Manchester City controlled the game with 640 accurate passes compared to Bodø/Glimt’s 306, but the Norwegian side defended resolutely. City had nine corners to Bodø/Glimt’s two but created only four big chances, missing all of them while Bodø/Glimt converted two of their two big chances.

“Manchester City slumped to one of the most humiliating upsets in Champions League history, losing 3-1 at tiny Norwegian club Bodø/Glimt.”

— ESPN match report

Where is Bodo Glimt FC from?

Bodø/Glimt is a Norwegian football club based in Bodø, a fishing town situated north of the Arctic Circle with a population of approximately 55,000. The city lies over 1,000 kilometres north of Oslo.

Norwegian fishing town origins

The club was founded as Idrettsforeningen Bodø/Glimt and plays their home matches at Aspmyra Stadion, which has a capacity of 8,000. Despite the modest facilities compared to City’s Etihad Stadium, Bodø/Glimt has established themselves as one of Norway’s stronger clubs.

Not a German team

Despite confusion among some fans, Bodø/Glimt is exclusively a Norwegian club with no connection to German football. The name comes from the Bodø municipality and “Glimt,” which translates to “glimpse” or “spark” in Norwegian.

Is Bodo/Glimt a good team?

Bodø/Glimt demonstrated their quality by securing their first-ever UEFA Champions League victory. The club entered the match with a 1-3-3 record and six points from their opening six league phase fixtures.

Recent form

Prior to facing City, Bodø/Glimt had won three of their last five matches across all competitions, averaging 2.8 points per game. Their domestic form in the Eliteserien has consistently placed them among Norway’s top sides in recent seasons.

Domestic success

The club has established itself as a regular participant in European competition, representing Norway in the UEFA Europa League and now the Champions League. This victory against City represents their most significant European result to date.

Bodø Glimt vs Man City head to head and stats

This was the first-ever meeting between the two clubs in any competition. Bodø/Glimt’s victory means they have won their sole encounter against Manchester City.

Previous results

No prior meetings exist between the clubs. Prior to this match, UEFA’s official records confirmed zero previous Champions League encounters between Bodø/Glimt and Manchester City.

Bodø/Glimt’s head-to-head record against City now reads: 1 match played, 1 win, 0 draws, 1 loss, goals scored 3, goals conceded 1.

Lineups and key stats

The implication: City’s statistical dominance across every metric except conversion rate highlights how Bodø/Glimt executed their game plan to near-perfection.

Man City fan reaction and refunds

Following the humiliating defeat, Manchester City players initiated a fan refund programme for travelling supporters who made the long journey to Bodø. The journey from Manchester to the Arctic Circle town required significant travel logistics.

Number of travelling fans

While exact figures are not specified in sources, the small capacity of Aspmyra Stadion (8,000 total, with 8,016 attendance) meant City fans comprised a small portion of attendees. The remote location—over 1,000km north of Oslo and north of the Arctic Circle—made travel particularly challenging.

Player refund initiative

City players offered to refund travelling fans as a gesture of goodwill after the performance. The gesture came amid growing frustration among supporters following a string of inconsistent results.