Just days into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the tournament’s first surprise must-have item is not a jersey, football or mascot — it’s a hair tie worn by Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland.
The accessory has become an unlikely global sensation after fans noticed that Haaland’s trademark man bun remained perfectly intact throughout an intense 90-minute match, despite the striker’s relentless running and physical battles on the pitch.
While Haaland grabbed headlines for scoring twice in Norway’s opening World Cup match, social media quickly became obsessed with a different question: how did his hairstyle survive an entire game without coming loose?
Posts asking for links to the hair tie flooded online platforms, with many fans joking that they wanted the same product capable of surviving a World Cup match.
Internet sleuths soon identified the item as a hair tie produced by Norwegian brand KKNEKKI, a company known for its signature woven design made from more than 60 intertwined threads.
The connection goes even deeper than a sponsorship deal. Haaland is not only the face of the brand but also became a shareholder in its parent company, Bon Dep, in 2024.
Capitalising on the World Cup buzz, KKNEKKI launched a limited-edition Haaland gift box containing eight hair ties in colours inspired by the various jerseys worn by the Norwegian striker throughout his career.
Priced at €28 (approximately RM140), the special edition set sold out completely on the company’s website by June 20.
The frenzy has since spilled into the resale market.
According to reports, more than 30,000 online searches for “Haaland hair tie” were recorded in China alone following the footballer’s World Cup debut on June 17.
With official stock exhausted, resellers and personal shoppers have begun offering the sold-out gift boxes at inflated prices.
Originally retailing for around 217 yuan, some sets are now being sold for between 299 and 350 yuan on secondary marketplaces.
Individual hair ties are also being broken up and sold separately for between 40 and 60 yuan each.
One particular colour known as “No. 5”, which Haaland reportedly wore in promotional photographs, has become especially sought after, with some listings reaching 69 yuan per piece — more than 150 per cent above its original average value.
The craze has even created opportunities for manufacturers in China.
With KKNEKKI yet to officially enter the mainland Chinese market, local factories in Yiwu, Zhejiang Province, have moved quickly to meet demand by producing similar woven hair ties.
Several manufacturers reported a significant spike in orders over the past week, with one supplier claiming nearly 20,000 units of comparable products had already been sold through wholesale platform 1688.
Industry insiders noted that woven hair ties are relatively simple to produce, but few expected a football tournament to spark such a massive trend.
As the World Cup continues, Haaland’s goals may help Norway progress deeper into the competition — but for now, his hair tie has unexpectedly become one of the tournament’s biggest winners.
