England end Norway’s World Cup dream, reach semifinals

England booked their place in the semifinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after edging Norway 2-1 after extra time in a dramatic quarterfinal clash that brought an end to the Scandinavian side’s impressive campaign.

Norway, appearing in the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in their history, took the lead through Andreas Schjelderup in the 36th minute and looked set for another upset after eliminating Brazil in the Round of 16.

However, England responded before the break as Jude Bellingham scored a crucial equaliser in first-half stoppage time to send both teams into the interval level. Neither side could find the breakthrough in the second half, forcing the match into extra time.

The additional 30 minutes produced more end-to-end action as both sides searched for the decisive goal. Norway fought bravely to keep their World Cup hopes alive, while England continued to pile on the pressure.

England eventually found the winner in extra time to complete a hard-fought comeback and eliminate the resilient Norwegians, whose memorable run came to an end after impressive victories over Ivory Coast and Brazil in the knockout stages.

The defeat marked the end of a historic tournament for Norway, who exceeded expectations with a series of spirited performances. Led by Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard, the team emerged as one of the surprise packages of the competition despite falling short of a semifinal place.

For England, the victory keeps alive their dream of winning a first World Cup title since 1966, as the Three Lions moved one step closer to the final after overcoming one of their toughest tests of the tournament.

England will now face the winner of the quarterfinal between defending champions Argentina and Switzerland in the semifinals as they continue their quest for World Cup glory.