Is Erling Haaland becoming the new brand favourite?

Erling Haaland’s debut World Cup campaign could not have gone any better. The Norwegian striker, who was a pivotal force in Norway’s World Cup qualification with a staggering 16 goals in eight games, carried his phenomenal form into the 2026 FIFA World Cup and scored seven goals in four matches.

As a result of his superb performances, Norway managed to reach the quarter-finals, beating former champions Brazil in the Round of 16, with Haaland scoring a brace. Although the Vikings lost to England in the quarter-finals, the World Cup and the wider public witnessed the emergence of a superstar striker in Norwegian colours.

The FIFA World Cup is the biggest stage for any player. If they manage to perform against the best players in the world, it often translates into more eyeballs, with more brands queuing up with massive endorsement deals. In the current landscape, where social media influence rules the world, Haaland has just taken the world by storm.

The 26-year-old Manchester City striker has become a particular fan favourite amongst American viewers, even those who don’t have much interest in football, thanks to his Snapchat and TikTok edits along with his YouTube videos.

Haaland has gained more than 16 million Instagram followers over the last fortnight, with his reels, memes, and videos flooding the internet. The social media numbers from this tournament are hard to ignore: Haaland has gained around 32.1 million Instagram followers over the course of the World Cup and earned 12.9 million followers during the knockout stages alone. He is now sitting at an audience of 73.3 million on Instagram, marking the highest individual surge for any footballer in that 39-day period. As a result, he has added nearly US$700,000 in per-post sponsorship value in a span of six weeks.

Haaland seemed to have cracked two of the biggest international markets: China before the World Cup through endorsement deals with WALOVI and Midea, and now the US after the World Cup, with several American brands desperate for his signature. While Haaland was already a superstar in Europe, his popularity has now reached new levels of stardom. Fans have connected as much with his on-field brilliance as with his unguarded, affable, and fun personality off the pitch.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has opened the doors for Haaland to become a global cultural icon. The World Cup is the kind of stage that transcends other competitions, attracting attention from football fans who watch the game week in, week out, as well as from those who tune in once every four years. This is reflected further in brand associations that go well beyond sports apparel, shoes, and drinks to help broaden the endorsement portfolio. With the US being one of the biggest commercial markets, brands go out of their way to spend exorbitant amounts of money on sports sponsorships compared to other regions.

Haaland already has a varied brand endorsement portfolio that includes a lucrative long-term deal with global American giant Nike, Swiss luxury watchmaker Breitling, Beats by Dre, and Italian luxury house Dolce & Gabbana, among others. His total yearly earnings amount to US$80 million (US$60 million on-field plus US$20 million in brand endorsements) and, according to Forbes, he sits behind only Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappé in the list of the world’s highest-paid footballers. While Ronaldo and Messi remain far ahead, they have had longer and more successful careers both in terms of individual achievements and silverware. They have also built their own brands over two decades, while Haaland is still young and can build his own ventures if he continues to achieve accolades at the current rate.

I genuinely believe the 2026 FIFA World Cup has elevated Erling Haaland into an unprecedented social media phenomenon, capturing global attention in ways no one could have imagined. Consequently, leading global brands would now be eager to capitalise on his rising popularity and influence and leverage his status as one of the most marketable athletes on the planet to strengthen their consumer base.

Move over, Ronaldo and Messi, Haaland is coming for the crown as the undeniable brand favourite!”