Jude Bellingham struck in the third minute of extra time as England came from behind to beat Norway in Miami and advance to a World Cup 2026 semi-final against Argentina or Switzerland in Atlanta on Wednesaday.
Andreas Schjelderup’s 36th-minute cross-shot opened the scoring before Bellingham collected Anthony Gordon’s pass and arrowed a lot shot into a far corner of the net during first-half added time.
Harry Kane had a finish ruled out for offside just before the interval and Torbjorn Heggem’s goal was disallowed shortly after the break because of a shove by Erling Haaland on Eliot Anderson.
Bellingham pounced for his sixth goal of the finals after goalkeeper Orjan Nyland spilled substitute Morgan Rogers’ long-range strike, landing the Three Lions a meeting with the holders or Die Nati, who meet in Kansas City on Sunday (02:00 BST).
England vs Norway: Tuchel’s team reach final four
With seven-goal Norway talisman Haaland substituted at half-time in extra time, England might have scored again during the closing stages.
Nyland made a superb double save to deny Bukayo Saka, who came on alongside Eberechi Eze for Noni Madueke and Declan Rice at half-time in regular time, and Djed Spence before the celebrations began for Thomas Tuchel’s players in scorching heat.
“It’s been an absolutely dogged performance,” former England international Lee Dixon told ITV.
“Jude Bellingham has carried them over that line almost single-handedly, but the spirit and hunger and desire in this group is extraordinary.
World Cup 2026: Why Norway goal was disallowed vs England
Heggem’s goal was ruled out after a VAR check punished Haaland because of a new rule that means a corner is retaken when there is an infringement before the delivery is sent in.
“It is a total change at the beginning of this tournament,” Dixon told ITV. “There was a lot of pushing and holding.
“The referee said to Elliot Anderson, ‘don’t pull his shirt.’ They had a chat and then Haaland’s pushed him to the ground, so it was all there for everybody to see.
“There was definitely a push. If that happens on the halfway line, it’s a free-kick. There’s no difference.
“You can’t start pushing around people before the ball comes in and expect to get away with it. It’s a good situation.”
World Cup 2026: England team vs Norway
John Stones came in at centre-back for England, with Ezri Konsa moving to right-back in place of Jarell Quansah, who was banned for two matches.
England starting XI: Jordan Pickford, Ezri Konsa, Nico O’Reilly, John Stones, Marc Guehi, Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, Anthony Gordon, Noni Madueke
England substitutes: Dean Henderson, James Trafford, Trevoh Chalobah, Dan Burn, Reece James, Djed Spence, Jordan Henderson, Kobbie Mainoo, Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze, Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney
World Cup 2026: Norway full line up vs England
Schjelderup replaced Antonio Nusa, who was a yellow card away from a ban.
Norway starting XI: Orjan Nyland, Kristoffer Ajer, David Moller Wolfe, Torbjorn Heggem, Patrick Berg, Sander Berge, Martin Odegaard, Andreas Schjelderup, Alexander Sorloth, Erling Haaland, Julian Ryerson
Norway substitutes: Sander Tangvik, Egil Selvik, Leo Ostigard, Fredrik Andre Bjorkan, Marcus Holmgren Pedersen, Sondre Langas, Henrik Falchener, Morten Thorsby, Fredrik Aursnes, Kristian Thorstvedt, Thelo Aasgaard, Oscar Bobb, Jens Petter Hauge, Jorgen Strand Larsen, Antonio Nusa
World Cup 2026: England vs Norway stats
- These teams have met 13 times, their previous meeting coming in a 1-0 friendly win for the Three Lions in September 2014. Norway have won two of those matches, failing to score in any of their last four
- Only Brazil (14) and Germany (14) have qualified for more World Cup quarter-finals than England, with this their 11th appearance at this stage
- England have progressed from four of their 11 World Cup quarter-finals
- Jordan Pickford surpassed Peter Shilton as England’s all-time leading appearance maker at the World Cup with an 18th such outing
- Kane is one behind Haaland in the World Cup Golden Boot race, with six goals – a total the captain also reached at the 2018 tournament
- Erling Haaland had scored in each of his preceding 14 competitive outings for Norway (27 goals in total), finding the back of the net in all four of his appearances at the World Cup
- Four of Haaland’s goals had been match-winners; only Poland’s Grzegorz Lato, in 1974, and Italy’s Salvatore Schillaci in 1990 have scored more match-winning goals in a single campaign in the competition history (five each)
