London fans erupt as England reach World Cup semis

BBCSun, Jul 12, 2026·2 min read

Pubs, fan zones and streets across London erupted on Saturday night as England beat Norway 2-1 in extra time to reach the World Cup semi-finals.

Crowds packed venues from Boxpark Wembley to the Clapham Grand, with beer hurled into the air and fans spilling on to roads in Fulham as the final whistle blew.

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The mood turned nervous in fan zones across the capital as Erling Haaland and his teammates pressed for a second, but Jude Bellingham equalised deep into first-half stoppage time, collecting Anthony Gordon's pass and firing low into the bottom corner.

The match went to extra time before Bellingham struck again in the 93rd minute, pouncing on a rebound after Morgan Rogers' shot was parried by goalkeeper Orjan Nyland.

Footage shared on social media showed fans celebrating across central London, with Regent Street and Piccadilly at a standstill as fans cheered and danced in the road, while others climbed scaffolding.

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Elsewhere, fireworks were set off while cars crawled past, with fans waving England flags.

Speaking to the BBC, one fan said: "It was very tense, but I was very confident that we would qualify.

"People need to put respect on Jude Bellingham, this is a world-class player."

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The result means it is England's first World Cup semi-final since Russia in 2018.

Thomas Tuchel's side will now take on defending champions Argentina on Wednesday.

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