Miami, July 12, 2026 – The Europe Today: England booked their place in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating Norway 2-1 in an enthralling quarter-final following extra time, with Jude Bellingham scoring twice to inspire the Three Lions to victory.
Norway struck first in the 36th minute when Andreas Schjelderup found the net, putting the Scandinavian side on course for a historic upset. However, Bellingham restored parity deep into first-half stoppage time with a superb individual effort, ensuring the teams went into the interval level.
With neither side able to find a winner during the second half, the contest moved into extra time. Just three minutes into the additional period, Bellingham capitalised on a goalkeeping error to score his second of the match and sixth of the tournament, sealing England’s place in the last four.
Norway, appearing in their first-ever FIFA World Cup quarter-final, produced a spirited performance and created several opportunities, including a goal that was ruled out following a VAR review. Despite the defeat, head coach Ståle Solbakken praised his players for an outstanding tournament that included a memorable Round of 16 victory over Brazil.
England manager Thomas Tuchel’s side will now face the winner of the remaining quarter-final between Argentina and Switzerland in the semi-finals as they continue their bid to lift the FIFA World Cup trophy for the first time since 1966.
