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

Four England players in danger of World Cup semi-final ban

England will have four players walking the disciplinary tightrope in their World Cup 2026 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 meeting with Norway, though the England head coach will be wary of the suspension risks that hang over several players ahead of kick-off.

Due to an extra round of games being added at this World Cup, 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, Declan 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.

Declan Rice has been booked against Ghana and Mexico (Getty)
Declan Rice has been booked against Ghana and Mexico (Getty)

Jude 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.

Nico O’Reilly is also on one yellow card heading into the quarter-final, as is Marc Guehi after FIFA confirmed the yellow card issued in the 68th minute was for the central defender and not captain Harry Kane.

Interestingly, both Guehi and Rice face a race against time to be available for England's World Cup quarter-final tie, meaning a decision may be taken out of Tuchel's hands.

Jordan Henderson is the other member of the England squad on one yellow card. Though, the midfielder is no longer a suspension risk as his tournament is over after undergoing surgery for a serious” wrist injury sustained in freak fashion following the 3-2 win over Mexico

Jarell Quansah will miss the Norway game as he serves the first of a two-match 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.