Erling Haaland Withdrawn from Press Duties After Man City

Erling Haaland has been withdrawn from scheduled media duties with the Norway national team in the immediate aftermath of Manchester City being found guilty on 114 of 115 Premier League financial charges. The striker was due to speak ahead of Norway's Nations League clash with Portugal on Sunday, 27 September 2026, but the team's media manager Morten Skjonsberg confirmed his replacement by Benfica duo Andreas Schjelderup and Fredrik Aursnes.

News of the verdict against City broke on Friday, 25 September 2026. The club now awaits a potential punishment that could range from a points deduction to expulsion from the Premier League. Haaland's contract with City, which reportedly contains no relegation clause, adds a layer of uncertainty to his future at the Etihad. The Norwegian was in action for his country just a day before the verdict, scoring two goals in a 3-2 win over Denmark on Thursday, 24 September.

While Haaland has five goals in five Premier League games this season, he is currently being outscored in the early 2026-27 European Golden Shoe standings. Barcelona's Raphinha leads the major league contenders with 12 goals in seven LaLiga games, while Kylian Mbappé has seven. The overall leader is Joseph Ede Oloko of FK Liepāja in Latvia, with 25 goals. Haaland's form remains strong, but he has ground to make up on the frontrunners.

The two goals against Denmark served as the debut for Haaland's latest Nike Phantom Player Edition football boots. Nike states the water-inspired design reflects a quality that defines him: impossible to contain. The boots feature a special material that changes appearance when they get wet, a fitting tribute to his powerful, fluid style of play.

Off the pitch, Haaland recently teamed up with YouTube billionaire MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, to recreate a viral AI-generated clip. The original video, which circulated during the 2026 World Cup, showed a startled Haaland looking at his reflection in a diner. The pair filmed their own version, which MrBeast posted to Instagram on 21 September with the caption "scariest meal of my life." Haaland also teased an upcoming appearance in a MrBeast YouTube video on his own Instagram, which has over 4.5 million subscribers.

• Haaland was pulled from Norway press conferences after Manchester City were found guilty on 114 financial charges.
• His City contract reportedly lacks a relegation clause as the club awaits a potentially severe punishment.
• He trails Raphinha (12 goals) and Golden Shoe leader Joseph Ede Oloko (25 goals) in the early season scoring charts.
• The striker scored twice for Norway in new Nike Phantom boots that change visually when wet.

Haaland's immediate focus returns to the pitch with Norway's key Nations League fixture against Portugal. But the cloud hanging over his club's future ensures his every move will be scrutinized more than ever.