Erling Haaland has taken Norwegian Air Shuttle to court over a social-media post that used his most recognisable feature to promote the airline during the 2026 World Cup. Haaland and his British company, York Promotions Ltd., have filed a lawsuit at Oslo District Court, arguing that Norwegian unlawfully used his distinctive characteristics in its marketing. The airline has described the lawsuit as regrettable and said it does not understand why its World Cup posts have led to legal action.
The dispute centres on an image posted by Norwegian during Norway’s World Cup run. The airline shared a picture of one of its aircraft with Haaland’s familiar blond ponytail digitally edited onto the top of the plane, alongside the caption, “We’ve never looked more Norwegian.” The posts appeared on social media, including Instagram and TikTok, before Norwegian removed them following the legal complaint.
Some reports have described Haaland’s ponytail as his trademark hairstyle, given how closely the distinctive blond look became associated with his public image. The hairstyle had been one of the most recognisable features of the Manchester City striker for several years, making its use in the airline’s promotional image particularly noticeable.
Haaland’s legal team says the issue is not simply about a joke involving a hairstyle. His lawyer, Thomas Hagen of Schjødt, says Norwegian used Haaland’s distinctive characteristics to market airline tickets during the World Cup without permission. The case is registered as an ordinary civil dispute concerning an alleged breach of Norway’s Marketing Act, although the full details of Haaland’s claim and any financial compensation he may be seeking have not been made public.
Norwegian has taken a very different view of what happened. The airline says it was supporting the Norwegian national team, just as much of the country was, and that the posts were a few spontaneous pieces of social-media content inspired by online trends. Norwegian has said it is surprised by the lawsuit and hopes the two sides can have a reasonable dialogue so the company can continue supporting Norway’s sports stars.
The legal question is whether the image went beyond an ordinary football meme and became an unauthorised commercial use of Haaland’s identity. Professor Tore Lunde of the University of Bergen, who specializes in marketing and intellectual-property law, has said Haaland has a strong case. Lunde points to Norway’s Marketing Act, including provisions concerning the unreasonable imitation of distinctive marks, while also arguing that personality rights can provide protection when a person’s characteristics are used commercially without consent.
The case is not yet at the stage of a full trial. Haaland, York Promotions and Norwegian Air Shuttle are scheduled to have a digital planning meeting at Oslo District Court on October 9, where the proceedings can be prepared before a main hearing takes place. The public record currently identifies the matter as an ordinary civil dispute, and several important details, including the precise damages being sought, remain unknown.
The timing is particularly interesting because Haaland’s famous hairstyle had already disappeared by the time the lawsuit became public. In August, the Manchester City striker cut off the long blond hair that had been part of his image since 2021, explaining that he wanted a fresh start for the new season. He had previously joked that Zlatan Ibrahimović had told him never to cut it because his strength was in his hair.
Haaland’s ponytail had become closely connected with his image as his football career exploded. The 26-year-old was born in Leeds and joined Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 for a reported €60 million, winning the treble in his first season in England. He has since become Norway’s all-time leading goalscorer and one of the most recognisable footballers in the world, making the question of whether a hairstyle can function as a distinctive commercial identifier particularly relevant to this dispute.
The World Cup only increased that profile. Norway reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 1998 after defeating Brazil before losing 2-1 to England, with Haaland scoring seven goals during the tournament. His performances made him one of the central figures of Norway’s historic campaign, while his distinctive appearance became part of the wider World Cup imagery surrounding the Norwegian team.
The lawsuit has also produced plenty of jokes and divided reactions online. Some users mocked Haaland for taking legal action over a hairstyle, with one arguing that the hair was “just hair” and another questioning how it could be protected after Haaland had cut it off himself. Others took a different view, arguing that a major company should not be able to use a famous person’s recognisable appearance for commercial promotion without permission, even if the original post was intended as a joke.
Other reactions focused on the timing and Haaland’s connection to Manchester City. Some users joked that he was trying to make more money before an imagined future financial problem at City, while others simply treated the lawsuit as another piece of football-related chaos. Some comments that he shaved off his hair and yet he sued them. One post summed up the week by joking that football and aviation were having a difficult time together, while another questioned whether the airline’s decision was really just spontaneous support for Norway.
For now, neither side has publicly revealed the full financial or legal details of the claim. Norwegian has deleted the posts, while Haaland’s team maintains that his recognisable characteristics were used to sell flights without his consent. The October 9 planning meeting will be the next significant step, but the bigger question is whether a viral football meme crossed the line into unauthorised commercial use of one of the world’s most recognisable footballers.
