Norwegian Air has won praise across social media after honouring a friendly World Cup wager with British Airways by temporarily changing its Instagram profile name to “British Air” following Norway’s quarter-final defeat to England.
The playful marketing stunt came after the two airlines agreed to a light-hearted bet before Saturday’s FIFA World Cup clash. Under the terms of the challenge, the airline representing the losing nation would temporarily adopt the winner’s branding on Instagram.
England secured a dramatic 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway, sending the Three Lions into the tournament’s semi-finals and triggering Norwegian Air’s good-natured rebrand.
Announcing the change on Sunday, the airline congratulated England while paying tribute to Norway’s World Cup campaign.
“While the tournament is over for us, this friendly bet will forever live in all our hearts. We wish England and British Airways all the best in the semi-final, and we sincerely hope you’ll get to bring football home,” the airline said.
Norwegian Air also shared a redesigned image featuring the words “British Air” alongside the caption:
“It is coming home. Well played, England and British Airways.”
British Airways Joins the Fun
British Airways quickly acknowledged the gesture, thanking its Norwegian counterpart for embracing the challenge.
In a response on social media, the airline wrote:
“We love this new look on you. Well played, thanks for all the fun, and here’s to our new friendship.”
The friendly exchange quickly spread across social media platforms, with many users describing it as one of the tournament’s best examples of sportsmanship and creative brand engagement.
Fans Applaud the Campaign
The interaction generated thousands of positive reactions, with supporters from both countries praising the airlines for turning a football rivalry into an entertaining marketing moment.
One fan described the campaign as “one of the best pieces of marketing from the World Cup,” noting that it achieved global attention with a simple social media post.
Another wrote that Norwegian Air may have lost the football match but had “won at sportsmanship.”
Others commended the creativity of both companies’ digital teams, applauding their ability to engage football fans with humour rather than rivalry.
Several users joked that they were now looking forward to flying with “British Norwegian Airways,” while others called the campaign “genius” and a perfect example of how brands can embrace major sporting events in a positive way.
England Ends Norway’s Historic World Cup Journey
The social media bet followed an entertaining quarter-final in which Norway’s remarkable World Cup run came to an end.
Playing in the country’s first-ever FIFA World Cup quarter-final, Norway stunned England by taking the lead through Andreas Schjelderup.
England responded before halftime as Jude Bellingham restored parity, setting up a tense contest that remained level after 90 minutes.
The decisive moment came in extra time when Bellingham capitalised on a mistake by goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland to score the winning goal and send England into the semi-finals.
Norway also had a second goal ruled out after a VAR review determined that Erling Haaland had committed a foul during the build-up.
Although the Scandinavian nation’s World Cup campaign ended in disappointment, Norwegian Air’s response after the final whistle became an unexpected talking point, earning widespread praise from football supporters and marketing professionals alike.
For many fans, the airline’s willingness to laugh at its own defeat and celebrate the winning team demonstrated that sportsmanship can extend well beyond the football pitch.
