FIFA finally breaks silence on 'one of football's most bizarre controversies'

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Tom Weber | Writer

Multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer.

FIFA has finally provided an update on the Spidercam incident that led to England's goal against Norway in the 2026 World Cup.

The quarter-final clash between the two European nations produced what Aftonbladet pundit Erik Niva has called "one of football's most bizarre controversies" when England scored their first-half stoppage-time equaliser.

Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland tried to pick out Alexander Sorloth on the right wing with a goalkick, only for the ball to seemingly change trajectory mid-air and fall straight to the feet of Elliot Anderson. England sprang their attack and scored seconds later through Jude Bellingham.

Nyland and Norway's coaching staff immediately remonstrated with referee Clement Turpin, who seemed oblivious to what had happened, that the ball had hit a camera cable before passing the halfway line.

Norway wanted the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) to intervene and disallow the goal, but England's equaliser stood, and the Three Lions went on to win the game in extra time. The incident sparked a massive reaction.

FIFA provides fresh update

Like referee Turpin, most spectators had no idea what had happened, and it only became more apparent during half-time when broadcasters like Fox Sports and ITV showed replays that appeared to show the ball's strange change in trajectory.

However, the replays were ultimately inconclusive because it is impossible to make out a thin wire from a distance. The ball's unusual movement could also have been caused by a gust of wind in the open-air stadium in Miami.

FIFA's official explanation, provided shortly after the incident, was that no cable or anything of the sort had come into contact with the ball because the sensor inside of it did not register a touch.

This statement sparked widespread ridicule by those who believed that the ball had hit something, given that the sensor had picked up the faintest of alleged touches when Croatia saw a last-minute goal ruled out in a round of 32 loss to Portugal.

Questions were asked as to whether the sensor could even register a brief collision with a wire and whether it works reliably at a height for which it was not designed.

The BBC released a 3D reproduction that appeared to show that there was a sudden change in trajectory, but there was an acknowledgement that the data used for the animation was not 100% accurate and could, in some instances, artificially create unnatural ball movements.

For FIFA, the case was closed - but not for TV2. The Norwegian outlet is still trying to get to the bottom of the Spidercam incident and has repeatedly contacted FIFA for further clarification, for documents and data that once and for all establish what had actually happened.

For the most part, FIFA ignored the requests. However, the governing body has now provided a new statement and an image that supposedly confirms that there was no collision with a wire.

"Regarding the BBC's 3D replay, this is a product based on optical tracking data, without access to the data from the ball sensor and the calibration data from the pitch," FIFA wrote.

"In other words, it is not as accurate as FIFA's technology, especially when the ball is in the air. We have also attached an image showing both the ball's contact (orange line) and spin/rotations (blue line) from the time in the match in question."

The three events that are shown on the image are: Touch #1 NOR (Nyland's goalkick), Touch #8 ENG (Anderson's interception) and Ground Impact (the ball hitting the ground for the first time).

The image shows no sudden change in acceleration or rotation of the ball between Nyland's goalkick and Anderson's interception, therefore proving, according to FIFA, that it did not collide with anything mid-air.

The outlet does not appear to be entirely convinced by the data, but it will probably put the matter to bed now. When asked by TV2 for comment, the Norwegian Football Association confirmed that it will not lodge a complaint with FIFA or take any other action.