Former England international Ian Wright has publicly challenged Alf-Inge Haaland after the father of Norway star Erling Haaland claimed poor officiating influenced England’s 2-1 quarterfinal win at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Alf-Inge Haaland voiced his frustrations on social media, suggesting the match referee favored England and that Norway was treated unfairly. Wright responded on the Stick to Football podcast, labeling the comments a low blow and highlighting the elder Haaland’s lack of objectivity.
Wright pointed to a specific incident where Erling Haaland pushed defender Elliot Anderson, which led to a disallowed goal for Norway. He argued that the physical aggression was unnecessary given Haaland’s size and was clearly a foul.
The match at Miami Stadium featured several tense moments. Andreas Schjelderup initially scored for Norway, but Jude Bellingham leveled the score before half-time. Bellingham later secured the win for England in extra time following an error by goalkeeper Orjan Nyland. Norway’s camp also disputed the equalizer, claiming the ball struck a Spidercam wire prior to Bellingham’s strike.
