FIFA has rejected Norway's claims that the ball struck Spidercam's cable before England's opening goal in their World Cup match, asserting that no technical evidence supports the allegation. The incident occurred in the 45+2 minute when Jude Bellingham scored, leading to protests from Norway's coaching staff. FIFA confirmed that officials reviewed data from the Connected Ball's sensor, which detected no irregularities in the ball's trajectory or movement during the play.
According to IFAB regulations, if the ball contacts Spidercam or its cables, play should be restarted with a drop ball at the point of contact. Norway argued that the ball's path was altered by the overhead camera system, which would have invalidated the goal. However, FIFA's technical team found no anomalies in the ball's "heartbeat" data—captured 500 times per second—which tracks speed, position, and impact points.
The Connected Ball technology, used in select World Cup matches, provides real-time data to officials to assist in determining contact with external objects. FIFA stated that the absence of a data peak during the goal-scoring sequence confirmed the ball's movement was unaffected by the camera infrastructure. This conclusion allowed the goal to stand, preserving England's 1-0 lead at halftime.
Norway's assistant coach Kent Bergersen criticized the decision at halftime, claiming the ball's trajectory was "shorter than it should have been" after contacting the camera wire. Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg supported Norway's stance, suggesting VAR should have reviewed the incident under protocols covering attacking phases leading to goals. Despite the protests, FIFA maintained the goal was valid based on available technological evidence.
