England Advances to World Cup Semifinals Amid Controversial Equalizer Against Norway

England secured a 2-1 victory over Norway to reach the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup, but the match ended amid controversy over England's equalizing goal by Jude Bellingham. The incident occurred just before halftime when Norway's goalkeeper, Ørjan Nyland, kicked the ball towards midfield. The ball struck an overhead cable holding a drone camera, altering its trajectory and landing near an English player who quickly passed it forward, leading to Bellingham's goal.

Norwegian players protested to referee Kalman Turpan, arguing the ball's deflection should have stopped play, but their complaints were dismissed and the game continued. According to the rules, the match should have been paused and restarted with a drop ball. VAR was available but was not used to review the incident. The VAR official for the match was Jérôme Brisard, who had previously been involved in another controversial decision during the tournament.

FIFA responded by stating that the sensor in the Connected Ball technology did not detect any change in the ball's 'heartbeat' while airborne, indicating no evidence of contact with the cable or an altered trajectory. Norwegian media described the event as a scandal, warning it could become one of the biggest controversies in World Cup history if the goal proves decisive.

The incident adds to a series of disputed VAR decisions throughout the 2026 World Cup, raising questions about the consistency and reliability of officiating in the tournament.