England reached the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Saturday after a dramatic 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Jude Bellingham scored both goals for England, cancelling out an early Norwegian opener before striking the decisive blow in the opening minutes of extra time.
Norway, appearing in the last eight for the first time and carrying the hopes of a nation inspired by Erling Haaland, took the lead in the 36th minute through a superb curling finish from Andreas Schjelderup. England drew level in first-half stoppage time when Bellingham arrived to convert, a goal that took his tournament tally to five and sent the sides into the interval level at 1-1.
The equaliser was mired in controversy. In the build-up, the ball clipped an overhead sky-camera wire and dropped sharply at the feet of an England player before the move reached Bellingham. Norwegian players and staff protested that the point of contact should have halted play, but French referee Clement Turpin allowed the goal to stand and the video assistant did not intervene. The incident reignited a wider debate about officiating at the tournament. Later in the second half, VAR did rule against Norway, disallowing a headed goal from a corner after ruling that Haaland had fouled an opponent in the build-up.
With the deadlock unbroken after 90 minutes, the match went to extra time. England struck almost immediately: Morgan Rogers forced a save and Bellingham reacted fastest to bundle the rebound past goalkeeper Orjan Nyland in the 93rd minute. Haaland, closely marshalled throughout, was withdrawn on the hour of the clock at the 105-minute mark for Jorgen Strand Larsen as Norway chased another equaliser that never came.
England shaded the statistics, holding 55 percent of possession and registering six shots on target to Norway's four, with an expected-goals figure of 0.83 against 0.67. The margins were narrow, but Bellingham's individual quality proved the difference as the Real Madrid midfielder underlined his status as one of the players of the tournament.
The result carries England into the last four, where they will face the winner of the remaining quarter-final between Argentina and Switzerland, scheduled later on Saturday in Kansas City. For Norway, the defeat ends a landmark campaign that included the elimination of Brazil in the round of 16, leaving Haaland and his teammates to reflect on a run that announced them as a rising force in international football.
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