AI's biggest World Cup star? It's a fake Erling Haaland

AI-generated videos and heavily edited images of Erling Haaland are spreading fast online ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

A fake restaurant clip went viral before being debunked, while other fan-made posts recast Haaland as a Viking-style icon.

Across Western and Chinese social platforms, memes, edits, and songs are blurring the line between authentic athlete content and fabricated media.

The case shows how AI can fuel misinformation while also shaping celebrity image and fan culture at huge scale.