England’s dramatic 3-2 win over Mexico in the early hours of Monday morning drew a peak television audience of 9.1 million in the UK, the biggest ever for a live broadcast between 2am and 4am. Now Gareth Southgate’s side face Norway in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup, a match that will be played in Miami on Saturday evening UK time. Here’s everything you need to know about the game and what it means for England fans.
England reached the last eight after a frantic victory at the Azteca Stadium, with Jude Bellingham scoring twice. The game kicked off at 02:00 BST and averaged 7.8 million viewers on BBC TV and iPlayer. It was also the biggest day on record for the BBC Sport website and app, with 15 million unique visitors, and the biggest single day across BBC Sport’s social platforms, with 330 million video views. England now face Norway, who upset Brazil in the last 16 thanks to two goals from Manchester City striker Erling Haaland – who has seven goals in the tournament so far.
“England face Norway in the World Cup quarter-final; key facts on viewing figures, illness, yellow cards.”
Norway have been hit by illness ahead of the quarter-final. The team, based in Greensboro, North Carolina, have travelled thousands of miles for matches in Boston, New Jersey and Dallas. Crystal Palace forward Jorgen Strand Larsen missed Norway’s first match due to illness, and Marcus Holmgren Pedersen was absent against Brazil with a bug. Manager Stale Solbakken was seen coughing at a press conference, but said only one player had a fever, with “a bit of coughing and rasping” elsewhere. He blamed air conditioning, flights and changing rooms. England have their own concerns: Jarell Quansah is suspended and Jordan Henderson is injured, though Reece James is expected to be fit.
For UK readers, this match is a huge event – England are one step away from a semi-final, and the game will be broadcast live. The World Cup yellow card rules add extra tension: any player who receives a yellow card in the quarter-final will be suspended for the semi-final if England progress, because cards are only wiped after the quarter-finals. Five England stars are at risk: those who have already been booked in the tournament and would be banned for one match if cautioned again. This rule applies to all teams and is designed to prevent players from deliberately accumulating cards.
Q: What time is England vs Norway and how can I watch it? The match kicks off at 22:00 BST on Saturday 11 July and will be broadcast on BBC Radio 5 Live. TV details have not been confirmed but previous England games have been shown on BBC and ITV.
Q: Why is Erling Haaland so dangerous for England? Haaland has scored seven goals in the World Cup so far, including two against Brazil in the last 16. The Manchester City striker is Norway’s main threat and has been in prolific form throughout the tournament.
Q: What happens if England beat Norway? They will face the winner of the other quarter-final in the semi-finals. If England lose, they are eliminated. The final is scheduled for Sunday 19 July.
What happens next: England will assess the fitness of Reece James before the game. Norway will hope their illness issues clear up. The match on Saturday will decide who advances to the semi-finals. England’s previous highest-viewed game of the tournament was the last-32 win over DR Congo, which peaked at 16.3 million.