Brussels Airlines and Norwegian join World Cup fever with social media banter and friendly rivalries

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup reaches the quarterfinal stage, European airlines are taking the competition beyond the football pitch with playful social media campaigns and friendly rivalry.

Ahead of Belgium’s clash with Spain, Brussels Airlines is showing its support for the Red Devils by operating its specially liveried “Trident” Airbus A320 exclusively on flights from Brussels to Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga and Alicante. The aircraft, painted in Belgium’s national team colours, combines elements representing both the men’s and women’s national teams and is intended as a light-hearted jab at Spain before the match.

Meanwhile, Norwegian has sparked widespread attention by publicly challenging British Airways on Instagram ahead of the Norway–England quarterfinal. The low-cost carrier proposed that the losing airline temporarily replace its Instagram logo with that of the winner for one day. British Airways responded with a confident “Don’t make bets you can’t win,” prompting Norwegian to press for a definitive answer, although the British carrier has yet to formally accept the wager.

The exchange has drawn airlines across Europe into the conversation. KLM jokingly offered to act as referee, Brussels Airlines volunteered to handle VAR duties, while Riyadh Air, airBaltic, Wizz Air, and Swiss all joined the online banter with humorous comments and reaction GIFs.

Regardless of the football results, the good-natured exchanges have generated significant engagement on social media, with Norwegian in particular earning praise for turning the tournament into a successful marketing opportunity while showcasing the lighter side of airline competition.