FIFA denied that the ball hit the camera wire when England scored their equalising goal against Norway in the quarterfinal clash. The ball seemed to have clearly changed its trajectory after Norway’s goalkick, and England was able to capitalise as Bellingham was able to equalise in the stoppage time before the half-time break. It was not known if the video assistant referee, Jerome Brisard, reviewed the play and the play was not interrupted.

By rule, if the ball had been noticed hitting the wire, play would have stopped and a drop ball would have been utilized to determine possession. However, FIFA said there was no spike in the ball’s sensor.

“Before England’s goal in minute 45+2 against Norway, the sensor in the Connected Ball showed no peak in the ‘heartbeat of the ball’ when in the air, and therefore no evidence that the ball touched the overhead wire and changed the movement of the ball,” a FIFA statement said.

Norway’s goalkeeper Nyland, star striker Erling Haaland, and coach Ståle Solbakken were not happy with the referee Clement Turpin’s decision after the play.

“He says that he didn’t see it himself and that he didn’t get any message that it actually happened,” Solbakken said after the match. “FIFA says there was no touch and that there was no signal in the chip in the ball, so he can’t do anything about it. But the ball fell straight down.

“It did touch it.”

Solbakken also insisted that’s not why Norway lost.

“Let’s not make this the story of the match,” he said.

England will face Argentina in the semifinal in Atlanta on Wednesday.