Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Tashan Deniran-Alleyne

Five England stars at risk of World Cup ban after Mexico battle

Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice are among the England players walking the disciplinary tightrope for their World Cup quarter-final against Norway.

The Three Lions take on Norway in Miami on Saturday hoping to reach a second World Cup semi-final in three tournaments.

Thomas Tuchel's side overcame Mexico in the last-16 to set up a quarter-final showdown with Norway, though the England head coach may need to have a quiet word with several players ahead of kick-off.

Due to an extra round of games being added at this World Cup 2026 because of the expansion from 32 teams to 48, FIFA have adjusted their yellow card laws.

In previous years, if a player received two yellow cards across any of the matches before the semi-final, they received an automatic one-game suspension.

However, under FIFA's new regulations, yellow cards are wiped twice throughout the tournament. The first was after the group stage and the next will be after the quarter-finals.

As such, Rice, is not suspended for the Norway game having picked up his second yellow card of the World Cup inside the opening minute against Mexico on Monday morning.

This is because the yellow card the Arsenal midfielder received in England’s goalless draw against Ghana was wiped after the group stage.

Bellingham, meanwhile, was booked during the 2-1 win over DR Congo in the round of 16 which means he is in the same boat as Rice in that a booking against Norway would rule him out of the semi-final through suspension - if England progress.

Jude Bellingham was shown a yellow card against DR Congo (Getty)
Jude Bellingham was shown a yellow card against DR Congo (Getty)

Marc Guehi and Nico O’Reilly are also on one yellow card heading into the quarter-final, as is Jordan Henderson, though his involvement for the remainder of the tournament is in serious doubt.

The Brentford midfielder was taken to hospital with a “serious” wrist injury sustained in freak fashion following England’s 3-2 win over Mexico and Standard Sport understands that he is staying in Mexico City with a member of England’s medical staff and not travelling back with the rest of the squad to their World Cup base in Kansas City.

Jarell Quansah will miss the Norway game as he serves a ban for his sending-off against Mexico.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.