Alfie Haaland, father of football star Erling Haaland, publicly criticized the officiating during Norway’s 2-1 defeat to England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals. He claimed the result was essentially a robbery due to biased refereeing decisions that prevented an English loss.
Posting on social media, he sarcastically wished England luck in the remainder of the tournament after suggesting they relied on unfair advantages. The controversy stemmed from specific match incidents, notably the rejection of a Torbjorn Heggem goal in the 53rd minute following a foul call against Erling Haaland. Additionally, Norwegian players questioned Jude Bellingham’s first-half equalizer, arguing that the ball struck an aerial camera during the build-up—a claim FIFA later denied, stating their technology recorded no such contact.
Andreas Schjelderup initially put Norway ahead in the 36th minute. Ultimately, Bellingham’s two goals—the second arriving in stoppage time—secured England’s place in the next round.
