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

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.