Erling Haaland sues Norwegian Air Shuttle over World Cup ponytail advertisement

Legal dispute over World Cup marketing

Manchester City forward Erling Braut Haaland and his British commercial firm, York Promotions Ltd., have initiated legal proceedings against Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA. The lawsuit, filed at the Oslo District Court, alleges that the carrier unlawfully exploited the 26-year-old striker's personality rights to advertise commercial flight tickets during the football World Cup. Haaland's legal representative, Thomas Hagen, confirmed the formal submission of the claim after Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang published court docket entries detailing the action. According to the plaintiff's legal team, the airline incorporated distinctive personal attributes associated with Haaland into promotional material without obtaining commercial licensing or player consent.

The case concerns the unlawful use by Norwegian of Haaland's distinctive features in the marketing of flight tickets during the football World Cup.

Ponytail photomontage and social media campaign

The commercial dispute stems from a digital marketing campaign published across social media channels, including Norwegian Air Shuttle's official Instagram account. During the World Cup tournament, the low-cost carrier released an edited photograph showing one of its passenger jetliners modified with a blonde ponytail atop the fuselage. The image mirrored Haaland's signature hairstyle at the time, paired with a promotional slogan stating that the airline had never looked so Norwegian. Following objections regarding the unapproved use of his image, the airline removed the photomontage from its public profiles. The legal challenge moves forward even though the striker recently cut his long hair, altering the physical trademark featured in the promotional post.

Airline reaction and settlement prospects

Norwegian Air Shuttle confirmed that it received the formal legal summons, describing the court action as difficult to comprehend and unfortunate. Airline representatives stated that the published social media posts represented spontaneous fan engagement designed to cheer on the national football team alongside domestic supporters. Company spokesperson Catharina Solli expressed regret that celebratory messages resulted in litigation, emphasizing that the airline hoped to establish a constructive dialogue with Haaland's management team. Press spokesperson Eivind Hammer Myhre similarly stated that the company seeks an amicable resolution so that the carrier can continue supporting domestic sports figures in future competitions.

Like almost all of Norway, we cheered on the national team this summer through a few spontaneous posts based on social media trends. It is regrettable that these encouragements were met with a lawsuit, but we hope to have a reasonable dialogue so that we can continue, in the future as well, to support our shared sports heroes.

Tournament context and scheduled court proceedings

The marketing campaign coincided with Norway's first World Cup tournament appearance since 1998, when the national team advanced to the quarter-finals in North America. Haaland captained the squad during the tournament run, scoring seven goals across five matches before Norway suffered a 2-1 defeat against England in extra time. The commercial dispute now moves to formal judicial proceedings under Norwegian advertising regulations and personality rights protections. The Oslo District Court has scheduled the opening hearing between Haaland, York Promotions Ltd., and Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA for 9 October 2026.