FIFA Says Bellingham's Goal Was Clean – Norway Disagrees

FIFA has issued an official statement regarding the controversial goal scored by Jude Bellingham in the World Cup 2026 quarterfinal between Norway and England. The incident occurred in first-half stoppage time (45+2), when Bellingham put England ahead, but replays suggested the ball might have hit the overhead spider-cam cable before reaching the player. According to FIFA, the Connected Ball technology showed no spike in the ball's internal sensor data during its flight path. The federation insisted there was no contact with the wire, meaning the trajectory remained unchanged. FIFA tweeted that there was no evidence the ball touched the overhead cable. Norway's camp rejected that explanation. Midfielder Sander Berge called the situation ridiculous and pointed out that a 2-1 result is too tight to ignore such moments. Head coach Ståle Solbakken said many on the bench were certain the ball dropped suddenly after hitting the cable. He noted the referee relied on the lack of a chip signal and could not act otherwise. Captain Martin Ødegaard admitted he did not see the incident himself but hinted at bad luck: “We didn't get the rub of the green on a few calls today. Maybe that's what you need in these games.” England won 2-1 and advanced to the semifinals of the tournament.