Cablegate: should Jude Bellingham’s first goal against Norway have been disallowed?
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36'
Goal
Andreas SCHJELDERUP (Norway) scores!! -
45'+2'
Goal
Jude BELLINGHAM (England) scores!! -
93'
Goal
Jude BELLINGHAM (England) scores!! -
117'
Yellow card
Kristoffer AJER (Norway) is booked by
Norway squad
- Selected
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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
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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.