England are through to the World Cup semifinals, and they did it the hard way. A 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway on July 11 in Miami sent the Three Lions into the final four of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, their first semifinal appearance since 2018.
The hero was Jude Bellingham, who scored both of England’s goals, including a 93rd-minute dagger that silenced a Norway side featuring Erling Haaland in their first World Cup appearance since 1998.
A match that had everything
Norway struck first. Andreas Schjelderup found the net in the 36th minute, and for a stretch it looked like the tournament’s most charming underdog story was about to add another chapter. Norway hadn’t even qualified for a World Cup in 28 years. Suddenly they were leading England in a quarterfinal.
Bellingham equalized in the first half, dragging England level before the break. But regulation time ended knotted at 1-1, pushing the match into extra time.
