A high-profile legal dispute has broken out between Erling Haaland and Norwegian Air Shuttle over the unauthorized use of the football star’s likeness.
During the 2026 World Cup, the low-cost carrier launched an advertisement featuring an airplane outfitted with a distinctive blonde ponytail, an unmistakable reference to the Norwegian striker’s signature hairstyle. The image was accompanied by the slogan: “We’ve never looked more Norwegian.”
Haaland’s legal team has filed a lawsuit against the airline for illicit use of his image rights, claiming the campaign commercially exploited his identity without permission or endorsement.
Norwegian Air Shuttle expressed surprise over the lawsuit, stating that the ad was intended as a lighthearted show of support for the national team. “We simply wanted to back our team,” a representative for the airline remarked, adding that they find the legal action difficult to understand.
The court will now determine whether an iconic hairstyle alone is sufficient to constitute identity theft in commercial advertising.
