Switzerland could have snatched the title in the mountain forest of Cortina d’Ampezzo - the host of the 2026 Winter Olympics - had they triumphed and Sweden finished outside the top two.

But the Swedish team of Tove Alexandersson, Isac von Krusenstierna, Emil Svensk and Sara Hagstrom led after the first leg before pushing Norway all the way.

Victoria Haestad Bjornstad, Audun Heimdal, Kasper Harlem Fosser and Andrine Benjaminsen of Norway secured the title at the final World Cup event of the campaign, after registering a combined time of 1hr 4min 49.50sec.

But the Norwegian team did not have it all their own way as they found themselves in 13th position after the first leg - 45 seconds behind early leaders Sweden.

Norway climbed up to sixth overall after moving into fourth place by the halfway mark before producing an impressive second half of the race.

Fosser - the winner of the men’s individual World Cup crown - put Norway in pole position after winning the third leg as Svensk crucially slipped to sixth to nudge Sweden down to second.

Hagstrom responded to win the fourth leg for Sweden, but Benjaminsen’s second place finish ensured victory for Norway.

Sweden came second in 1:04:54.70 as the Swiss team of Paula Gross, Joey Hadorn, Matthias Kyburz and Simona Aebersold finished third in 1:05:40.90.

It is the second title of the season for Alexandersson who edged out Aebersold to win the women's individual event.