Belgium at the FIFA World Cup 2026

History

Belgium have appeared in the FIFA World Cup 15 times, with their first participation at the inaugural 1930 tournament. Their golden generation peaked at the 2018 edition in Russia, where they finished third, defeating England 2-0 in the third-place playoff through goals from Thomas Meunier and Eden Hazard. Prior to that, their best result was fourth place at Mexico 1986. Belgium missed out on the 1982, 2006, and 2010 tournaments but were a consistent presence between 2014 and 2022, reaching the quarter-finals in each of 2014 and 2022. They have never won the World Cup, though they claimed an Olympic gold medal in football at the 1920 Summer Olympics on home soil.

Qualification

Belgium qualified for the 2026 World Cup as winners of UEFA Group J, which also included Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, and Liechtenstein. Under coach Rudi Garcia, appointed in January 2025, the Red Devils went unbeaten across all 8 group matches, accumulating 18 points and scoring 29 goals while conceding 7. The campaign was sealed with a 7-0 demolition of Liechtenstein on the final matchday, finishing five points clear of runners-up Wales, who advanced to the play-off round. Belgium's dominant form continued into the March 2026 international window with a 5-2 friendly victory over the United States in Atlanta.

Preparation

Belgium's World Cup ended in the quarter-finals: a 2-1 loss to Spain on 10 July at SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles (Fabian Ruiz 30', De Ketelaere 41', Merino 88'). Youri Tielemans withdrew with an adductor injury in the warm-up (replaced by Hans Vanaken); Thibaut Courtois went off in the 71st minute with a left thigh issue, and substitute Senne Lammens spilled the shot that led to Merino's winner. They reached the quarter-finals via a 3-2 extra-time comeback against Senegal in the Round of 32 (1 July, Seattle; 0-2 down before Lukaku 86', Tielemans 89' and a 120+5' penalty) and a 4-1 win over hosts USA in the Round of 16 (6 July, Seattle; De Ketelaere 9'/33', Vanaken 57', Lukaku 90+3'), a match in which Amadou Onana suffered a torn ACL that ended his tournament. Zeno Debast (thigh) never played at the tournament; ahead of the Spain quarter-final his club Sporting CP judged him not medically fit, disputing clearance from Belgium's own medical staff and FIFA's insurers.

Latest news

Spanish media: Courtois' thigh injury not serious, won't miss competitive season start

· injuries

Following his 71st-minute substitution in the quarter-final loss to Spain with a left thigh problem, Spanish media reported after a Real Madrid medical check-up that there was no sign of a serious injury and that Courtois would not miss the start of the competitive season.

Belgium's World Cup ends: Spain win 2-1 in quarter-final after late Merino winner

· matches

Spain beat Belgium 2-1 in the quarter-final at SoFi Stadium, LA (10 July): Fabian Ruiz (30'), De Ketelaere equalised (41', via Castagne). Tielemans withdrew injured in the warm-up (replaced by Vanaken); Courtois went off (71') with a thigh issue. Sub Lammens spilled a Cubarsi shot (88'); Merino scored the rebound to eliminate Belgium.

Debast ruled out of Spain quarter-final in Sporting CP/Belgium medical dispute

· injuries

Ahead of the 10 July quarter-final, Zeno Debast's club Sporting CP declared him not fit, contradicting clearance from Belgium's medical staff and FIFA's insurers. Sporting cited no risk after his long thigh-injury rehab, causing a dispute with the federation. Debast trained individually but did not play at the tournament.

Onana tears ACL in Round of 16 win over USA, out for nine to twelve months

· injuries

Amadou Onana started Belgium's 6 July Round of 16 win over the USA but was substituted after around 20 minutes following an awkward movement. He was diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, ending his World Cup and requiring a rehabilitation of at least nine to twelve months. He remained with the squad for the time being while next treatment steps were finalised.

Belgium rout hosts USA 4-1 to reach the World Cup quarter-finals

· matches

Belgium beat the United States 4-1 in the Round of 16 at Lumen Field, Seattle. De Ketelaere scored twice (9', 33'), either side of a Tillman equaliser (31', deflected off Vanaken). Vanaken added a third (57', after a Freese error); Lukaku sealed it in stoppage time (90+3'). Pulisic went off injured (52') after contact with captain Tielemans; Belgium advanced to face Spain.

Belgium stage dramatic 3-2 extra-time comeback over Senegal to reach last 16

· matches

Belgium trailed Senegal 2-0 (Diarra 24', Sarr 51') in the Round of 32 (1 July): Lukaku scored (86') and Tielemans equalised (89') to force extra time. Senegal hit the woodwork twice and Lukebakio struck the crossbar before VAR gave a penalty for a Camara foul on Tielemans, converted in the 120+5th minute, a World Cup record. Lukaku was subbed for De Ketelaere at half-time.

Debast returns to partial team training for first time at World Cup after positive MRI

· injuries

Zeno Debast's 27 June follow-up MRI was positive. On 28 June he warmed up with the full 26-man squad for the first time at the tournament, then did individual work with a coach. Debast: 'Today, I can partially take part in team training' and 'It was positive, everything is going as planned so we are positive.' He called Senegal 'a really good team.' July 1 Round of 32 availability uncertain.

Belgium drawn against Senegal in Round of 32 on July 1 at Lumen Field, Seattle

· general

Congo's result on 27 June confirmed Belgium's Round of 32 opponent as Senegal. The match is Wednesday, July 1 at 1 PM local time (10 PM Belgian time), Lumen Field, Seattle. Senegal finished third in their group (beat Iraq 5-0; lost to France 1-3 and Norway 2-3), ranked 18th globally. The two nations have never met. The winner faces the United States or Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 16.

Belgium rout New Zealand 5-1 to top Group G; Trossard double, Doku starts on return

· matches

Belgium won Group G with a 5-1 victory over New Zealand at BC Place, Vancouver (26 June). Trossard scored twice (28', 50'), De Bruyne a third (66'), Just pulled one back for New Zealand (84'), then Lukaku (86') and Saelemaekers (90+4') sealed it. Jeremy Doku started his first match back after the birth of his son. Belgium finished on 5 points (1W-2D), edging Egypt on goal difference.

Doku rejoins Belgium squad in Seattle within 24 hours of son's birth

· squad

Doku returned to Belgium's Seattle camp on 23 June, 24 hours after son Praise was born in London on 22 June. Federation approved his departure (missed Iran with respiratory illness). Federation: 'Back in camp after the most important assist of his life.' Tielemans: 'Having a child is the most beautiful thing; being there is normal as a dad.' Doku in contention for New Zealand.

Doku leaves Belgium camp for birth of son; French TV host's criticism sparks backlash

· general

Doku left Belgium's base on 22 June with federation approval for the birth of son Praise in London, recovering from a respiratory infection. France Pierron (L'Equipe du Soir) called it 'disgusting'/'the dad is useless'. Teammates rallied to Doku; L'Equipe publicly distanced itself, and Pierron apologised, saying her comments 'may have shocked, offended, or hurt some.'

Belgium 0-0 Iran: Ngoy sent off, Lukaku starts, 23 shots but no goals in Group G stalemate

· matches

Belgium drew 0-0 with Iran at SoFi Stadium (21 June). Lukaku started for the first time. Taremi's goal ruled out for offside (25'). Ngoy red card at 66' (DOGSO foul on Taremi). Belgium had 23 shots, 70% possession, 1.82 xG but failed to beat Beiranvand. Garcia: 'We lacked efficiency up front.' Iran led Group G on goal difference; Belgium second on 2 points, both level entering the final matchday.

Doku on antibiotics; Mannaert: targeting New Zealand return for final group game

· injuries

Jeremy Doku's respiratory infection worsened during Belgium's stay in Los Angeles. He was placed on a course of antibiotics and ruled out of the Iran match. Sports director Vincent Mannaert: 'It is better to let him rest now and then work towards the last group match against New Zealand.' His availability for the 26 June fixture remains uncertain.

Doku ruled out against Iran with respiratory infection; Garcia: 'we have enough quality'

· injuries

Jeremy Doku ruled out for Belgium vs Iran (21 June) due to a respiratory infection. Coach Garcia: 'We have enough talent and quality to win without Jeremy.' A sports physician cautioned against rushing his return. No timeline given for his comeback; further group-stage availability is uncertain.

Belgium fly to Los Angeles; Courtois warns 'everything is possible' against Iran

· general

Belgium departed Seattle for Los Angeles on 19 June ahead of their must-win Group G match against Iran on 21 June at SoFi Stadium. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois previewed the game, warning his teammates that 'everything is possible' and stressing the importance of scoring first to force Iran to open up, giving Belgium space to add a second goal quickly.

Four players absent from Belgium training: Debast, Lukaku, Trossard and De Ketelaere sat out

· injuries

Four Red Devils absent from training on 18 June: Zeno Debast (thigh rehab), Romelu Lukaku (managed rest after 60 minutes vs Sounders XI on 17 June), Leandro Trossard (minor knock), and Charles De Ketelaere (light right-leg discomfort after Egypt match). No serious injury reported for the three outfield players.

Belgium beat Seattle Sounders/Tacoma Defiance 2-1 in training match to boost match fitness

· matches

On 17 June Belgium played a shortened internal training match against a combined Seattle Sounders and Tacoma Defiance XI at their Renton base, winning 2-1 over two 30-minute halves. The game was designed to build match sharpness, with Romelu Lukaku playing the full 60 minutes as he works towards being fit enough to start competitive fixtures.

Debast has MRI, begins first individual field training - targeting knockout-round return

· injuries

Zeno Debast underwent an MRI on 17 June to assess his thigh injury. The results allowed the rehabilitation to progress: by 19 June he had completed his first individual field training session. He has not yet rejoined group training and is expected to miss Belgium's entire group stage, with the coaching staff targeting his return for a possible knockout round.

Foreign press pans Belgium after Egypt draw: 'long since they were so dominated', Lukaku the lone bright spot

· general

International media was harsh on Belgium's display against Egypt. L'Equipe wrote 'it was a long time since Belgium was so completely dominated'; NOS highlighted Belgium's lack of intensity; The Athletic stated 'time has caught up with Belgium's aging guard'. The only player praised across foreign outlets was Romelu Lukaku, who changed the match within 23 seconds of entering as substitute.

Belgium 1-1 Egypt: Lukaku rescues point on WK opener as Hany own goal equalises Ashour strike

· matches

Belgium drew 1-1 with Egypt at Lumen Field, Seattle (66,775). Ashour gave Egypt the lead at 19'. Belgium laboured until the 66th minute: Lukaku entered and within 23 seconds his pressure forced an own goal from Hany. De Bruyne struck the post at 53'; Courtois saved well at 33'. Garcia after: 'He can't start a game' on Lukaku, and 'Belgium have to win' against Iran.

Courtois hints at international retirement after 2026 World Cup: 'chances are greater that I won't continue'

· general

Courtois said on 12 June 'the chances are greater that I won't continue after this tournament than that I will,' citing recurring injuries over the past 18 months. He added 'My family is here because this could be my last tournament' and praised upcoming keepers Lammens and Penders. The 34-year-old (109 caps) said he remains hungry and in good shape for the tournament.

Lukaku ankle scare in Seattle training proves false alarm

· injuries

Romelu Lukaku grabbed his ankle during Belgium's training session in Seattle on 11 June, prompting immediate concern given his recent injury history. However, Het Nieuwsblad reported it was a false alarm and that Lukaku sustained no injury. He continued training fully with the group.

Doku scare in Seattle resolved: winger back in full training, 'nothing special'

· injuries

Jeremy Doku left Belgium's first full training in Seattle early on 9 June with discomfort, prompting concern, but the camp played it down as precautionary. On 10 June he trained normally with the group at the Sounders' base. Koni De Winter said 'He is not injured, it was nothing special'; Alexis Saelemaekers added it 'didn't seem too serious'. Doku is expected to start against Egypt on 15 June.

Belgium round off World Cup build-up with 5-0 rout of 10-man Tunisia

· matches

Belgium beat Tunisia 5-0 in their final World Cup send-off at a sold-out King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, on 6 June. Trossard opened (28'), with De Ketelaere (53'), De Bruyne (65'), Lukebakio (85') and Raskin (87') adding to it. Tunisia played the second half down to ten after Ismael Gharbi's second yellow for a foul on Doku. Lukaku came off the bench to build fitness.

Squad now complete in camp as Trossard joins after CL final

· squad

Leandro Trossard reported to the Belgium camp on 3 June, the last player to arrive, after being given extra rest following Arsenal's 30 May Champions League final (lost on penalties to PSG). With Trossard in, Garcia's group is complete ahead of the 6 June Tunisia send-off. Zeno Debast (thigh) remains the only player still unavailable and is set to miss the Egypt opener.

Garcia trials Onana as centre-back, hints at hybrid back-three for the World Cup

· general

After the 2-0 win over Croatia, Rudi Garcia explained deploying Amadou Onana as a central defender alongside Arthur Theate and Nathan Ngoy. He said Onana 'has all the qualities to play there' and that it lets Belgium become a 'hybrid team', able to switch to three at the back when Onana plays in midfield. Garcia praised the side's collective defending and the clean sheet.

Lukaku marks return with 90th international goal in 2-0 win at Croatia

· matches

Belgium beat Croatia 2-0 in their World Cup warm-up at Stadion HNK Rijeka on 2 June. Youri Tielemans opened the scoring (38'); substitute Romelu Lukaku sealed it deep in stoppage time (90+6') with his 90th international goal on his first appearance in roughly 12 months, extending his record as Belgium's all-time top scorer after an injury-hit Napoli season.

Garcia: Lukaku 'better than expected' but not yet fit to start

· injuries

Before the Croatia friendly, coach Rudi Garcia gave a positive update on Romelu Lukaku, calling him 'better than I expected' and 'the most motivated player I've ever seen' and saying he scores often in training. Lukaku cannot yet start, so he will not start against Croatia and may only feature off the bench; his availability for the 15 June Egypt opener is uncertain. Garcia also sees 'serenity'.

Debast stays behind to rehab thigh injury, ruled out of Egypt opener

· injuries

Defender Zeno Debast did not travel with the squad to the Croatia friendly, remaining at Tubeke to continue rehabilitating the thigh injury he sustained late in the Portuguese season. Garcia confirmed on 1 June that Debast will not be ready for the 15 June opener against Egypt, though his recovery is progressing; reports suggest he is unlikely to be available before a possible round-of-16.

Trossard rested after Champions League final, set to miss Croatia friendly

· matches

Leandro Trossard, who played Arsenal's 30 May Champions League final, was given several rest days and was absent from the last training before the squad flew to Croatia. He was expected to skip the Croatia warm-up and return later in the camp.

Belgium set two World Cup warm-ups: Croatia (2 June) and Tunisia (6 June)

· matches

Belgium's pre-tournament programme features an away friendly against Croatia in Rijeka on 2 June 2026, followed by a home send-off against Tunisia at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on 6 June 2026, described as the Red Devils' final game before travelling to North America for the World Cup.

Squad

PlayerPositionClub
Thibaut CourtoisGKReal Madrid
Mike PendersGKStrasbourg
Senne LammensGKManchester United
Timothy CastagneDFFulham
Zeno DebastDFSporting CP
Maxim De CuyperDFBrighton & Hove Albion
Koni De WinterDFAC Milan
Brandon MecheleDFClub Brugge
Thomas MeunierDFLille
Nathan NgoyDFLille
Joaquin SeysDFClub Brugge
Arthur TheateDFEintracht Frankfurt
Kevin De BruyneMFNapoli
Amadou OnanaMFAston Villa
Nicolas RaskinMFRangers
Youri TielemansMFAston Villa
Hans VanakenMFClub Brugge
Axel WitselMFGirona
Charles De KetelaereFWAtalanta
Jeremy DokuFWManchester City
Matias Fernandez-PardoFWLille
Romelu LukakuFWNapoli
Dodi LukebakioFWLille
Diego MoreiraFWStrasbourg
Alexis SaelemaekersFWAC Milan
Leandro TrossardFWArsenal

Recent results

  • 2024-03-23 — IRL 0-0 BEL (friendly)
  • 2024-03-26 — ENG 2-2 BEL (friendly)
  • 2024-06-05 — BEL 2-0 MNE (friendly)
  • 2024-06-08 — BEL 3-0 LUX (friendly)
  • 2025-06-06 — MKD 1-1 BEL (qualification)
  • 2025-06-09 — BEL 4-3 WAL (qualification)
  • 2025-09-04 — LIE 0-6 BEL (qualification)
  • 2025-09-07 — BEL 6-0 KAZ (qualification)
  • 2025-10-10 — BEL 0-0 MKD (qualification)
  • 2025-10-13 — WAL 2-4 BEL (qualification)
  • 2025-11-15 — KAZ 1-1 BEL (qualification)
  • 2025-11-18 — BEL 7-0 LIE (qualification)
  • 2026-03-28 — USA 2-5 BEL (friendly)
  • 2026-03-31 — MEX 1-1 BEL (friendly)
  • 2026-06-02 — CRO 0-2 BEL (friendly)
  • 2026-06-06 — BEL 5-0 TUN (friendly)
  • 2026-06-15 — BEL 1-1 EGY (group)
  • 2026-06-21 — BEL 0-0 IRN (group)
  • 2026-06-26 — NZL 1-5 BEL (group)

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