England booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals after a hard-fought 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway in a dramatic quarter-final at Miami Stadium on Saturday.
The match ended 1-1 after the regulation 90 minutes before Jude Bellingham struck early in extra time to send the Three Lions into the last four.
Norway made the brighter start and were rewarded in the 36th minute when Andreas Schjelderup finished a well-worked move to put his side ahead. The goal stunned England, who had struggled to create clear-cut chances in the opening half.
However, England responded just before the interval. Bellingham equalised in the second minute of first-half stoppage time (45+2') with a composed finish, ensuring the teams went into the break level at 1-1.
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"England refused to give up and found their equaliser through Jude Bellingham just before half-time."
Bellingham Delivers in Extra Time
Neither side could find a winner during the second half despite creating several opportunities, forcing the contest into an additional 30 minutes.
Bellingham capitalised on a mistake by Norway goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland before calmly finishing in the 93rd minute to make it 2-1. The goal ultimately proved decisive as England successfully protected their lead until the final whistle.
"Jude Bellingham's 93rd-minute strike proved to be the winning goal as England marched into the semi-finals."
The defeat brought Norway's impressive World Cup campaign to an end despite another determined display led by captain Martin Ødegaard and striker Erling Haaland.
Semi Final Awaits England
England will now face Argentina in the FIFA World Cup semi-final after the South American side progressed from the other quarter-final. The semi-final is scheduled for Wednesday, 15 July, at Atlanta Stadium, with kick-off set for 3:00 pm local time.
With only four teams remaining, the race to lift football's biggest prize has entered its most demanding phase.
