World Cup 26: England, USA, Belgium advance; officiating storms overshadow progress
Kane penalty denied, Balogun red card spark referee scrutiny as Spain and Portugal scramble to join the Round of 32.
England, the USA, and Belgium have punched their tickets to the Round of 32 at , but the path was littered with referee flashpoints that now threaten to eclipse their qualification narratives. England’s saw a clear second-half penalty appeal waved away in stoppage time against Slovenia, a non-call that left the Three Lions’ fate hanging by a thread before a late equalizer salvaged a draw. The missed call—later dissected in replays showing Kane’s shoulder clipped inside the box—sparked immediate outrage from pundits and fans alike, with calls for retrospective VAR review growing louder.
