Q&A with Minnesota Vikings International Fan of the Year – Club VP John Macdonald

Vikings IFOTY 2026 Joh Macdonald Q and A

The UK & Ireland Minnesota Vikings Fan Club are very proud to announce the selection of club co-founder and vice-president John Macdonald as the Vikings’ International Fan of the Year (IFOTY) for 2026.

John’s dedication to this community is simply unrivalled. Whether it’s the early-hour kickoffs, the tireless work behind the scenes or the infectious passion he brings to every meet-up, he embodies everything it means to be a Viking. This recognition isn’t just well-deserved – it’s a testament to the heart he pours into this club. We couldn’t be prouder to have him representing us on the global stage.

We sat down with John after the announcement to find out how it felt to receive this honour and what it will mean for him this year…

First things first: how did it feel the moment you found out you were the International Fan of the Year? And how were you told?

I was beyond shocked and surprised. I still haven’t stopped smiling from ear to ear since I heard. How I found out was on what I thought was a normal call with the Vikings front office to talk about plans for next season. We were all chatting normally and then – BAM! – there is Blake Cashman saying, “Hello, John. Congratulations, you are the Vikings’ International Fan of the Year”. It took me a little while to realise that it was actually real.

What was involved in the nomination process?

I just filled in the forms to nominate myself for IFOTY. This was the first time I’d ever decided to nominate myself as I normally try to push for another member of our community to win it. But I thought that if there was ever a time to nominate myself and hopefully get our club name out there even more, this was the opportunity.

John cycled from Dublin to London in September/October last year, raising around £5,000 for mental health charity Mind

What do you think made you stand out from the crowd to be crowned this year?

As I said in the video with Blake Cashman, there are many other people I know across Europe and the world that would be worthy of this high honour. When I was filling in the form to nominate myself and it asked me why it should be me, I found it hard to squeeze everything under the word cap, then I saw that I was able to submit a video explaining everything, so I talked about bringing fans together from all over the world when the Vikings play here and my cycle ride between the two games in Dublin and London last season.

John with some of our counterparts from the Italian Vikings fan club

Being an international fan often means watching games at 1am on a Monday morning. What’s the hardest part – and the best part – of following the team from this side of the Atlantic?

I work nights, so for me, being up at silly o’clock in the morning is natural. When the Vikings are playing, though, it’s extra special as I know that fans across Europe are up watching this game and we are all messaging about it. It makes you feel like you aren’t so alone.

Leading the Skol march to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is one of John’s biggest memories as an international Vikings fan

You’ve done so much for this fan club as Vice President. What’s your favourite memory of bringing Vikings fans together?

This is a tough question as there have been so many moments with the fan club, but I would have to say seeing all the fans outside the Two Brewers and the Victoria before Vikings v Saints in 2022. All week long I had been spreading the word that we’d be there before Skol-marching to the stadium. I was expecting maybe 50/60 people to turn up, but we were easily 500+ before we set off. After the game when I was back at the pubs, I had so many people come up to me and say thank you for running the club because it made them not feel so alone as a Vikings fan.

What’s involved in being crowned international fan of the year? I hear a trip to the draft is on the cards, are you excited? What else can you tell us?

Yes, a trip to the draft is part of becoming IFOTY. The Vikings are paying for me and friend to fly out to Pittsburgh and are putting us up in a hotel. We get to go to all three days and before the draft, we get to meet the Commissioner, who will give me my Vikings IFOTY jersey. This is such an honour being the first European IFOTY for the Vikings and something I am very proud of.

You’ve now set the bar very high! What’s next for you and the UK & Ireland Vikings Fan Club?

Every year we look to improve ourselves and make the experience even better for our fans. We look forward to putting on events across the UK and Ireland and working with the Vikings to improve the experience for both young and old fans. If you’ve just started following the Vikings or have been there since the start, we want to give everyone a great time.

Finally, do you have a message for the Vikings fans back in Minnesota and your fellow fans here in the UK and Ireland?

Thank you to everyone who has ever turned up to any of our events. You are why we do this. I love all my brother and sister Vikings fans from the UK and Ireland and all over the world, from Minneapolis to Italy, Germany, Sweden, Australia and everywhere in between. We all love the Vikings and you are the best fans in the world.