Cablegate: should Jude Bellingham’s first goal against Norway have been disallowed?

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Cablegate: should Jude Bellingham’s first goal against Norway have been disallowed?

The Guardian · 1 month ago

Norway
Norway
1
FIFA WC26
1-2
Finished
England
England
2

Key moments
  1. 36'

    Goal
    Andreas SCHJELDERUP (Norway) scores!!
  2. 45'+2'

    Goal
    Jude BELLINGHAM (England) scores!!
  3. 93'

    Goal
    Jude BELLINGHAM (England) scores!!
  4. 117'

    Yellow card
    Kristoffer AJER (Norway) is booked by
Squads
Norway squad
  • Selected
  • 1 Orjan NYLAND
    Goalkeeper
  • 3 Kristoffer AJER
    Defender
  • 5 David MOLLER WOLFE
    Defender
  • 6 Patrick BERG
    Midfielder
  • 7 Alexander SORLOTH
    Forward
  • 8 Sander BERGE
    Midfielder
  • 9 Erling HAALAND
    Forward
  • 10 Martin ODEGAARD
    C Midfielder
  • 17 Torbjorn HEGGEM
    Defender
  • 21 Andreas SCHJELDERUP
    Midfielder
  • 26 Julian RYERSON
    Forward
  • 2 Morten Thorsby
    Midfielder
  • 4 Leo OSTIGARD
    Defender
  • 11 Jorgen STRAND LARSEN
    Forward
  • 12 Sander TANGVIK
    Goalkeeper
  • 13 Egil SELVIK
    Goalkeeper
  • 14 Fredrik AURSNES
    Midfielder
  • 15 Fredrik Andre BJORKAN
    Defender
  • 16 Marcus HOLMGREN PEDERSEN
    Defender
  • 18 Kristian Thorstvedt
    Midfielder
  • 19 Thelo AASGAARD
    Midfielder
  • 20 Antonio NUSA
    Forward
  • 22 Oscar BOBB
    Midfielder
  • 23 Jens Petter HAUGE
    Midfielder
  • 24 Sondre LANGAS
    Defender
  • 25 Henrik FALCHENER
    Defender
England squad
  • Selected
  • 1 Jordan PICKFORD
    Goalkeeper
  • 2 Ezri KONSA
    Defender
  • 3 Nico OREILLY
    Defender
  • 4 Declan RICE
    Midfielder
  • 5 John STONES
    Defender
  • 6 Marc GUEHI
    Defender
  • 8 Elliot ANDERSON
    Midfielder
  • 9 Harry KANE
    C Forward
  • 10 Jude BELLINGHAM
    Midfielder
  • 18 Anthony GORDON
    Forward
  • 20 Noni MADUEKE
    Forward
  • 7 Bukayo SAKA
    Forward
  • 11 Marcus RASHFORD
    Forward
  • 12 Trevoh CHALOBAH
    Defender
  • 13 Dean Henderson
    Goalkeeper
  • 14 Jordan HENDERSON
    Midfielder
  • 15 Dan BURN
    Defender
  • 16 Kobbie MAINOO
    Midfielder
  • 17 Morgan ROGERS
    Midfielder
  • 19 Ollie WATKINS
    Forward
  • 21 Eberechi EZE
    Midfielder
  • 22 Ivan TONEY
    Forward
  • 23 James TRAFFORD
    Goalkeeper
  • 24 Reece JAMES
    Defender
  • 25 Djed SPENCE
    Defender
  • Full squad
  • 26 Jarell QUANSAH
    Defender

England midfielder Jude Bellingham scored the first of his two goals in a World Cup 2026 quarter-final against Norway in Miami, levelling the match just before half-time, but the goal became the subject of controversy dubbed "Cablegate". Norway's players and coaching staff protested that the ball had struck an overhead cable — used to suspend a robotically controlled camera — during the buildup, arguing this constituted illegal interference that should have seen the goal disallowed. The dispute matters because the goal proved pivotal: England went on to win, ending Norway's tournament.

The incident began when Norway's goalkeeper Ørjan Håskjold Nyland launched a goal-kick two minutes into first-half stoppage time; the ball appeared to drop sharply near England's touchline, where Elliot Anderson gathered it before Anthony Gordon fed Bellingham to score past Nyland. Nyland confronted referee Clément Turpin, while manager Ståle Solbakken said many on the bench reacted immediately and midfielder Sander Berge called it "ridiculous". Fifa rejected the complaint, stating that the sensor in the Connected Ball showed no peak in the "heartbeat of the ball" and thus no evidence it touched the wire, with a "snicko" reading supporting this; England manager Thomas Tuchel noted the ball's chip could detect even a hair touching it. The goal stood, Bellingham scored again in extra time and Norway were knocked out.

  • Bellingham's disputed goal helped knock Norway out of World Cup 2026.
  • Norway claim the ball hit an overhead camera cable in buildup.
  • Fifa's ball sensor showed no contact, so the goal stood.

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