Norway international Erling Haaland is suing Norwegian Air Shuttle for the alleged unlawful use of his distinctive likeness. The lawsuit centres on a marketing campaign during the 2026 football World Cup where the airline used an image of an aircraft with a blonde ponytail reminiscent of Haaland's former hairstyle.
Lawyer Thomas Hagen confirmed the legal action. “The case concerns Norwegian’s unlawful use of Haaland’s distinctive signs in its promotion of plane tickets during the football World Cup,” Hagen said. The contested photomontage was removed from the company's social media after being reported.
The airline's response
Catharina Solli, a spokeswoman for Norwegian, expressed regret over the lawsuit. “It is regrettable that this support has been met with legal action, but we hope to have a reasonable dialogue,” Solli said. She emphasised the posts were spontaneous shows of support for the national team during the tournament, inspired by social media trends. The airline has received the writ and finds it hard to comprehend.
The parties are scheduled for a preliminary hearing at Oslo District Court on October 9. The case unfolds as the national team has just concluded a tough autumn period with defeats to Wales and Portugal.
The legal process begins shortly, while the national team focuses on the key away match against Portugal.
The original report is at Straits Times Sport
