England scraped through. That’s really the only way to put it. Norway led for close to an hour at Hard Rock Stadium and were the better side for most of it, but Jude Bellingham scored twice — once right before half-time, once deep into extra time — and that was enough. 2-1. Semi-finals booked.
Andreas Schjelderup put Norway ahead just after the half-hour mark and for a good while it looked like England might be going home a round earlier than anyone expected. Then Bellingham, who has made a habit of this all tournament, popped up with the equaliser in first-half stoppage time. Nobody could find a winner in normal time. Extra time it was, and Bellingham again — this time pouncing on a loose ball after Ørjan Nyland could only parry a Morgan Rogers shot.
England now face the winner of Argentina vs Switzerland on Wednesday in Atlanta. Norway go home, but nobody in Norway should be hanging their heads. First-ever World Cup quarter-final for that country. Haaland’s tournament ends a round earlier than a lot of people hoped, sure, but this was still a huge step forward for Norwegian football.
First Half: Norway Strike First
Two changes for Tuchel from the Mexico game. Stones in for the suspended Quansah, Madueke in for Saka on the right.
England did what England usually do early on — patient, controlled, working the ball around, looking for a crack in Norway’s defence. But Norway weren’t there just to sit back and hope. They pressed in spells and broke quickly when they won it back, and that’s exactly how the goal came. Schjelderup drifted into the pocket between England’s midfield and back line in the 36th minute, took a touch, and finished it well. Composed. The stadium, full of England shirts, went quiet fast.
To England’s credit, they didn’t fall apart. Kane and Gordon linked up down the left a few times as the half went on, and eventually it paid off — a cross into the box in the second minute of stoppage time caused enough chaos for Bellingham to poke it home from close range. 1-1 at the break, and honestly England were the happier of the two teams walking in.
How England Turned It Around
Second half was tighter. Cagier. Neither team wanted to be the one that got caught out. Norway had a goal chalked off by VAR at one point — that decision is still being argued about online, for what it’s worth — and otherwise the game just sort of simmered without either side really threatening.
No winner in 90, so extra time, second time this tournament for England after the DR Congo game went the same way. Norway made a change straight away, Østigard on for Heggem, who’d picked up a knock late on, and Holmgren Pedersen came on too for Møller Wolfe. You could tell both benches were feeling it by then.
What actually swung it was Rogers coming on. He gave England something different down the left just as Norway’s legs were going, and it was his shot — from distance, nothing special really — that Nyland could only push into Bellingham’s path. Bellingham didn’t think twice. In it went. Norway threw bodies forward in the last few minutes but there wasn’t much left to throw, and a side that had been so disciplined for an hour just ran out of road.
Everyone’s going to talk about Bellingham after this, and fair enough, four goals from midfield this tournament is genuinely ridiculous. But it was Rogers who changed the picture off the bench, and that shouldn’t get lost. Schjelderup, for Norway, gave his team exactly what they needed early on and never really stopped being a problem for England’s back line all night — if Norway are smart they build the next few years around him. Nyland will be gutted about the winning goal, no doubt, especially after how well he played earlier in the tournament including that night against Brazil, but Norway don’t get anywhere near a quarter-final without him.
What’s Next
Atlanta, Wednesday, Mercedes-Benz Stadium — England against whoever comes through Argentina vs Switzerland. On the other side, France and Spain play Tuesday for a place in the final. As for Norway, they’re flying home with their heads held high after the best World Cup they’ve ever had.
Match Facts
- Competition: FIFA World Cup 2026, Quarter-Final
- Date: Saturday, 11 July 2026
- Venue: Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Stadium), Miami Gardens, Florida
- Final Score: Norway 1-2 England (after extra time)
- Half-Time Score: 1-1
- Goal Scorers: Schjelderup 36′ (Norway); Bellingham 45+2′, Bellingham 93′ (England)
Conclusion
Nobody in the England camp is going to care that it wasn’t pretty. They’re through, and that’s the only thing that matters this deep into a World Cup. Norway made them work for every inch of it and deserve credit for that. But when it came down to it, Bellingham had the answer. Again. On to Atlanta.
For more coverage from the ongoing tournament, check out our latest football news as the World Cup heads into its final week.
Match data via FIFA’s official match centre.
