Erling Haaland and his company York Promotions have taken Norwegian Air Shuttle to court over an alleged unauthorised use of the footballer’s likeness in a World Cup-era social media campaign. The dispute centres on a manipulated image of a Norwegian aircraft with Haaland’s blond ponytail, paired with the caption: “We’ve never looked more Norwegian.”
Thomas Hagen, Haaland’s lawyer, confirmed the filing on behalf of York Promotions and the player, saying the case concerns the unlawful use of Haaland’s characteristics in marketing airline tickets during the tournament. Norwegian has acknowledged receipt of the suit and removed the post from its social media accounts.
The airline campaign was part of World Cup-related promotion rather than an operational issue, but the case has drawn attention in aviation circles because it highlights the legal risks tied to social-media branding and celebrity imagery. The matter is listed for a preliminary meeting at Oslo District Court on 9 October, with proceedings linked to the broader question of whether the airline breached marketing law.
Norwegian has sought dialogue over the dispute and publicly described the claim as hard to understand. The filing adds a legal dimension to a short-lived marketing post that circulated on Instagram and TikTok before being deleted.