​MIAMI GARDENS — In a World Cup quarterfinal at Hard Rock Stadium, Norway’s hopes were dashed when a second-half goal was ruled out following a VAR review that determined Erling Haaland committed a foul in the England penalty area. The ruling came after Norway had briefly taken the lead through a scrappy goal that initially gave the underdogs a 2-1 edge.
Torbjorn Heggem had found the net in the 55th minute, steering a loose corner kick into the goal to put Norway ahead. But the joy was short-lived. After a brief VAR check, officials erased the goal, concluding that Haaland had fouled early in the sequence by pushing England midfielder Elliot Anderson, which nullified the strike and kept the score at parity.
The first half played out in sweltering South Florida conditions, with England and Norway tied 1-1 at halftime. Jude Bellingham had just delivered a moment of brilliance in stoppage time of the first half, scoring a left-footed strike from the top of the Norway box after a deft sequence that saw him beat the defense and slot the ball past Jordan Pickford’s reach. His goal canceled out Norway’s earlier lead, which had been established by Andreas Schjelderup.
Schjelderup’s marker had come from the left side of the penalty area, with the ball looping over the outstretched arm of Pickford. Despite having less possession in the first half, Norway had managed to take advantage of occasional forays into England’s half, peppering the defense at key moments and creating nervous episodes for the English back line. Earlier, Haaland had sparked those moments with a couple of dangerous runs and touches that unsettled England’s defense.
This quarterfinal marks Norway’s first appearance at this stage of the World Cup, while England contends for a semifinal berth for the third consecutive tournament, seeking to return to the form that carried them to the semifinals in 2018. With the winner advancing to face either Lionel Messi’s Argentina or Granit Xhaka’s Switzerland, anticipation was high for a dramatic conclusion to the match.
Television coverage in the United States included Fox for English-language viewers and Telemundo for Spanish-language viewers, with John Strong and Stu Holden calling the Fox broadcast and Copán Álvarez alongside Jaime Fernando Macías on Telemundo’s call. The match schedule listed kickoff at 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 11, 2026, in what promised to be a captivating clash between two European teams in a high-stakes World Cup contest. Fans could also stream the action on Fubo with a free trial, and additional streaming options were available via Peacock for Spanish-language audiences.
As the outcome hung in the balance, supporters waited to learn their semifinal opponent, with Lionel Messi and Argentina or Granit Xhaka and Switzerland awaiting the winner. The drama of the match underscored the intensity of the World Cup stage, where VAR reviews can swing momentum in a heartbeat and where every goal, or disallowed goal, can redefine a nation’s journey in the tournament.