Miami: England advance to World Cup semifinals after controversial win over Norway

By Arjun Sharma — 12 July 2026 — 3 min read

England secure semi-final spot

England have advanced to the World Cup semifinals after a 2-1 extra-time victory against Norway in Miami. The win, however, has been accompanied by discussions surrounding a controversial moment involving Jude Bellingham‘s first goal. This marks England‘s fourth time reaching a World Cup semi-final, following appearances in 1966, 1990, and 2018.

The quarter-final match saw Norway take an early lead in the 36th minute with a goal from Andreas Schjelderup. England responded in first-half stoppage time when Bellingham scored, leveling the score at 1-1 in the 45+2nd minute. The game later went into extra time, where Bellingham scored his second goal in the 93rd minute, securing the win for England.

Controversy surrounding Bellingham’s equalizer

Footage broadcast after the match suggested that Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland‘s goal kick, which initiated the play leading to Bellingham‘s first goal, might have struck an overhead Spidercam cable. This apparent contact could have altered the ball’s trajectory, allowing Harry Kane to gain possession and set up the equalizer.

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) Laws of the Game state that if the ball hits a fixture hanging over the field, including a camera cable, the referee should stop play and restart with a dropped ball. While there is no definitive confirmation from match officials or FIFA that contact occurred, the incident became a significant talking point. Norway manager Ståle Solbakken was observed discussing the matter with the referee at halftime, and some Norway players protested the decision.

The incident has also brought attention to the connected ball technology used in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This technology, which includes a microchip in each official match ball, sends real-time data to the VAR system to aid decision-making. It remains unclear whether this technology detected any contact with the overhead cable during the match.

Manager’s reaction and team performance

Despite the victory, England manager Thomas Tuchel expressed dissatisfaction with his team’s performance. He described the win as “lucky” and the play as “sloppy,” citing numerous technical mistakes and a lack of pace. Tuchel emphasized that the team’s advancement was primarily due to “pure mentality.”

Bellingham, who scored both goals, acknowledged the difficulty of playing in the conditions and praised his teammates for their effort. He suggested that Tuchel might not fully understand the challenges of playing against strong opponents like Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard in humid conditions. Bellingham noted that sometimes a team has to “win dirty,” which England managed to do.

Former England players, including Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney, commended Tuchel‘s honest assessment. Rooney highlighted the team’s character, especially after Ezri Konsa‘s injury and Declan Rice‘s early substitution due to injury concerns. Matt Upson, another former England defender, expects England to approach their upcoming semi-final with a different tempo and mindset.

England‘s journey through the World Cup has seen them overcome Croatia 4-2, draw with Ghana, defeat Panama 2-0, advance past DR Congo, and secure a 3-2 victory against Mexico with 10 men. The team will return to Atlanta for their semi-final match.

Source: bbc.com

Arjun Sharma

Sports Reporter