Erling Haaland brand value was already climbing before the 2026 World Cup began, but two goals against Brazil on Sunday sent it into a different stratosphere. The Norwegian striker has since gained over 11 million Instagram followers, and the commercial machine around him is moving fast to keep pace.
‘His brand value is already spiking during the tournament and is very likely to accelerate further after the World Cup,’ Scott Kerr, founder of luxury consultancy Silvertone Consulting, told Business Insider.
Norway Jerseys Sold Out and Reselling at a Premium
The most immediate commercial signal is the Norway national kit. The Nike Norway 2026 Stadium Home Jersey is listed as sold out on Nike’s own website. According to the BBC, Norway’s commercial director Runar Pahr Andresen said demand is ‘well beyond the forecasts,’ with orders at a record high and kits consistently out of stock since they launched in March.
The Norwegian Football Association told the BBC it severely underestimated demand. Jerseys that retailed at £89.99 ($100), according to Sports Illustrated, are now reselling for as much as £355 ($476) on secondary markets, per Sporticos. The original report cited resale prices above $400 on StockX; the Sporticos figure of $476 sits higher still.
Erling Haaland Brand Value and the Kknekki Effect
The hair-tie story is a case study in how Haaland’s influence works. Oslo-based brand Kknekki launched a limited-edition collection with him to coincide with the tournament. It sold out within weeks.
Haaland had worn the brand’s ties for years before becoming a minority investor in its parent company, Bon Dep, in 2024, Yahoo Sports reports. On the Kknekki brand blog, Haaland explained his thinking plainly: ‘I wear KKNEKKI and have invested in the company because I believe in the product.’ The limited-edition pack of eight ties is ‘inspired by the colors I wear on the pitch for the teams I play for,’ each finished with a custom HAALAND bead, retailing at £21 ($30) a pack.
When Kknekki posted a reel of the collaboration, the account gained 4,000 new followers in a single day, according to social media analytics site Social Blade. Bon Dep told the Straits Times that the collaboration generated more than 10,000 new followers in total. The two figures cover different periods: the Social Blade figure captures one day from one reel, while the Bon Dep figure covers the collaboration more broadly.
OneFootball reports that Haaland’s association with Bon Dep was credited with a seven-figure revenue boost for the company. The size of his stake has not been disclosed.
Bon Dep said his long-standing use of hair ties has played a significant role in attracting male customers. Blanca Zugaza Escribano, a fashion and luxury strategy consultant at Metyis, told Business Insider: ‘He’s landing in a moment where menswear is getting more comfortable with “traditionally feminine” luxury objects, and he’s basically become a walking case study for that shift.’
The resale market has taken notice too. Some Kknekki packs have appeared on AliExpress for $90, though it is unclear whether those listings are genuine.
Hermès Bags and the Luxury Dimension
Away from hair ties, Haaland’s luxury credentials run considerably higher. He has been photographed repeatedly carrying Hermès Haut à Courroies (HAC) travel bags, with individual pieces on the secondary market ranging from around $45,000 to $80,000. A HAC Birkin 50 ‘Endless Road’ he carried arriving in Greensboro, North Carolina for the tournament’s training camp is listed at $45,000 at Madison Avenue Couture. The black Multipocket HAC 50 he has been seen with costs approximately $80,000 on Wardrobe by Rebecca.
Google Search data in the report shows that queries for ‘Hermès HAC 50’ were virtually zero in the US until June, when the term became a breakout query. A Hermès spokesperson declined to comment on whether Haaland has invested or collaborated with the brand.
Kerr argues the appeal comes from a specific tension: ‘Hermès has been known to lean into playfulness and quiet humor, even though the overall brand carries a very serious aura of craftsmanship and restraint.’ That contrast mirrors how Haaland presents himself, ruthless on the pitch, low-key and self-deprecating off it.
Kerr mapped out the four archetypes Haaland has built: ‘The explosive performance hero type? The goofy, meme-friendly jester type? The Nordic understated loyal everyman type? Or the stylish new lux masculine type? He has mastered them all.’ Fortune reports his interests stretch further still, into chess championships and an animated Viking project, suggesting a deliberate effort to build an identity well beyond football.
With Norway’s quarter-final against England still ahead, the commercial window remains wide open. Every match Haaland plays extends the runway for the brands already aligned with him, and raises the price of admission for any that are not.