Scandal at the World Cup. FIFA explains why the referee allowed Bellingham's controversial goal against Norway

FIFA has issued an explanation regarding one of the most controversial incidents of the 2026 World Cup quarterfinal between Norway and England.

The scandal erupted after a goal kick by Norway's goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland. During the flight, the ball, according to many fans and pundits, struck a suspended cable above the stadium, causing a sudden change in its trajectory. The ensuing attack culminated in a goal by Jude Bellingham. Despite protests from the Norwegian team, VAR did not intervene and the goal was allowed to stand.

Later, The Times journalist Martin Ziegler reported FIFA's official position on the incident.

We checked the data and found no spike signals on the chart received from the ball's sensor. This means the system did not detect any contact between the ball and the cable, FIFA stated.

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However, FIFA's explanation failed to convince many fans. Heated debates continue on social media: some supporters remain convinced the ball did touch the cable and that play should have been stopped, while others believe the referees made the right call based on the available technological evidence.