​Thousands of people across the West gathered to watch England defeat Norway on Saturday, celebrating with jubilant relief as England triumphed 2-1. Jude Bellingham’s two goals gave England the lead after an early strike from Andreas Schjelderup, and the win booked England’s place in the semi-finals against Argentina on Wednesday at 20:00 BST. Here’s how fans reacted as England moved one step closer to ending the 60-year wait for World Cup glory.
At their wedding, Ryan and Freya Sedgman decided to screen the match at their reception at The Mount Without. Freya quipped, “If you can’t beat them, join them,” explaining that there would likely be friends in the corner watching on their phones, so they opted for a larger screen. Ryan noted that their big day, more than two years in the making, never would have predicted England playing that night. “Initially, we didn’t want it to take over the day,” he said. A self-confessed football fan, he added that Freya’s family are also keen supporters. He admitted he was pleasantly surprised but very happy when Freya agreed to show the game.
Meanwhile, thousands more fans filled The Prospect Building to watch the drama unfold on a huge screen. Photos captured some of the momentous action as the crowd reacted to England’s progress. In Tetbury, Tetfest founder Mark Wood reflected on the day’s mood, saying, “Where do I start? We had everything—the music, the people, and then we had the extra time. We got there in the end.” He added that the crowd behaved themselves, even if some left the usual mess behind, and expressed hope to host an outdoor event for the next game on Wednesday. A fan who spoke after the match called the atmosphere “absolutely electric,” insisting they always knew England would win. Another fan proclaimed, “Unbelievable. They were always going to do it; they’ve got the mentality. It’s coming home.”
In Frome, the Cheese and Grain venue saw attendance reach capacity, with Rob Dahl, the venue manager, praising the support football has generated for the World Cup. “It’s been crazy,” he said, noting that the event filled the venue to capacity and produced higher-than-average bar spend per head, a testament to the electric atmosphere and the positive energy surrounding the games. Reece, a Frome attendee who joined the watch-along at the venue, described the match as a “nice comfortable game,” with a touch of jitters after Norway’s goal but ultimately carried by Jude Bellingham’s performance.
Across the region, fans described the match as a turning point, with chatter focusing on the team’s improved structure and mentality. As England pressed on, supporters remained hopeful that the side could sustain their level of performance and bring the country its long-awaited World Cup triumph.