England edge Norway after extra-time thriller to reach 2026 World Cup semi-finals

England booked their place in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after producing a spirited comeback to defeat Norway 2-1 after extra time in a gripping quarter-final clash at Miami Stadium.

The Three Lions were forced to dig deep after falling behind in the first half but responded with determination, scoring twice through Jude Bellingham to eliminate a resilient Norwegian side and keep their hopes of lifting a second World Cup title alive.

Norway stunned England in the 36th minute when Andreas Schjelderup found the breakthrough. The winger capitalised on a defensive lapse before calmly beating England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to hand the Scandinavian side a deserved lead.

Thomas Tuchel’s men responded positively and increased the pressure on the Norwegian defence as the first half drew to a close. Their persistence paid off in stoppage time when Jude Bellingham reacted quickest inside the penalty area to fire home the equaliser, sending both teams into the interval level at 1-1.

The second half was fiercely contested, with both sides creating opportunities to take control of the match. Norway believed they had regained the lead midway through the half, but the effort was ruled out after a VAR review detected a foul in the build-up.

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England also came close on several occasions but were unable to find the decisive goal before the end of regulation time, forcing the contest into extra time.

The breakthrough eventually arrived early in the additional period. A handling error by Norway goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland allowed Bellingham to seize on the loose ball and slot home his second goal of the evening, completing England’s comeback and giving the European side a 2-1 advantage.

Despite a late surge from Norway, England’s defence held firm to preserve the lead until the final whistle and secure qualification for the last four.

Bellingham’s match-winning display further enhanced his reputation as one of the tournament’s standout performers, with the midfielder once again delivering when his country needed him most.

England’s journey to the semi-finals has been marked by resilience. After overcoming DR Congo in the Round of 32 and edging Mexico in the Round of 16, the Three Lions have now eliminated another formidable opponent to move within one victory of the World Cup final.

For Norway, the defeat brought an end to an impressive tournament in which they had shocked Brazil in the Round of 16 and reached the quarter-finals for the first time in decades. Although disappointed by the result, the performances of captain Martin Ødegaard and striker Erling Haaland throughout the competition earned widespread praise.

England will now turn their attention to the semi-finals, where they will face the winner of the quarter-final between Argentina and Switzerland, as they continue their quest to become world champions for the first time since 1966.