Bellingham goal stands despite cable deflection as VAR denies Norway in World Cup quarter-final

Jude Bellingham’s fifth goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup was allowed to stand despite the ball deflecting off a camera cable before he scored, as VAR controversially failed to intervene in England’s quarter-final against Norway at Miami Stadium.

Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland’s goal kick struck the overhead camera cable inside the stadium. Under the rules of the game, when the ball makes contact with an object on the field of play that is not a player, play should be stopped — and such incidents are reviewable by VAR. The ball was controlled by England, and two passes later Bellingham finished to make it 1-1 deep into first-half stoppage time. Norwegian players and coaches immediately protested, but French referee Clément Turpin allowed play to continue without a VAR intervention.

FOX rules analyst and former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg was unequivocal in his assessment. “Some will ask, why does the VAR not interfere? Yes they can interfere if that contact of the ball on the camera cable is part of a reviewable incident. If it leads to a goal, it is a part of the VAR reviewable incidents,” Clattenburg said. “So, it should have been picked up by the VAR.”

The VAR referee for the match was Jérôme Brisard, who also served as video assistant during the earlier Argentina vs. Egypt game — a fixture that generated its own controversy when a legitimate Egypt goal was disallowed.

Norway had taken the lead through a stunning strike from winger Andreas Schjelderup in the 36th minute, only for Bellingham’s disputed equaliser to level matters before the break.

The second half brought further VAR drama, this time going against Norway. In the 55th minute, Erling Haaland pushed England midfielder Elliot Anderson in the chest before a corner kick was taken. Defender Torbjorn Heggem headed home from the resulting corner, but the goal was chalked off after a VAR review. The corner was retaken rather than a free kick awarded, because Haaland’s foul occurred before the kick was delivered.

Clattenburg backed that decision. “Just before the corner’s about to be taken, he clearly pushes Anderson in the chest and under the new IFAB regulations, if a foul happens just before the corner kick is taken, it should be punished,” he said.

The sequence of events left Norway on the wrong side of two contrasting VAR outcomes — one where the technology did not act when Clattenburg argued it should have, and one where it did intervene to cancel what would have been a go-ahead goal.