Erling Haaland sues Norwegian airline over ponytail ad

Erling Haaland is taking Norwegian Air Shuttle to court over the alleged unauthorised use of his image and distinctive features in an airline promotion during the football World Cup. The dispute places the Manchester City striker at the centre of a legal case involving a campaign linked to Norway’s national team.

The precise claim has not been disclosed. Norwegian Air Shuttle removed a social-media image that showed one of its planes with a ponytail, a hairstyle associated with Haaland before he recently cut his hair. The post carried a message celebrating the airline’s Norwegian identity.

Norwegian has confirmed receiving the court summons but said it struggled to understand the action. The company said its World Cup posts were spontaneous attempts, shaped by social-media trends, to support Norway’s team. It described the lawsuit as regrettable and expressed hope for a reasonable dialogue that would allow it to continue backing the country’s sports heroes.

An Oslo court hearing is scheduled for 9 October. Haaland had led Norway to the World Cup quarter-finals in its first appearance at the tournament since 1998, where England eliminated the team 2-1.