​Has Belgium ever won the World Cup? Red Devils’ FIFA history explained originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Have Belgium won the World Cup? Red Devils’ all-time record at FIFA finals.
Belgium arrived at the 2026 FIFA World Cup hoping to build on the most successful era in the nation’s football history. The Red Devils moved into the knockout stages and then beat the United States 4-1 in the Round of 16 to set up a quarterfinal meeting with Spain. But have Belgium ever won the World Cup? The Sporting News looks at their all-time record at FIFA’s biggest tournament.
World Cup HQ: Latest World Cup news, full World Cup schedule, and how to buy World Cup tickets. Belgium have never won the FIFA World Cup. Their best finish came in 2018, when Roberto Martínez’s side finished third in Russia after beating England 2-0 in the third-place playoff. Belgium also reached the semifinals in 1986, eventually finishing fourth after losing to Argentina in the last four and France in the third-place match. Belgium were one of the 13 teams involved in the first FIFA World Cup in 1930 and have been regular participants across the tournament’s history. Their strongest period came between 1982 and 2002, when they qualified for six consecutive World Cups and reached the knockout stages several times. More recently, Belgium’s so-called Golden Generation produced the country’s best World Cup result in 2018, with stars including Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku, and Thibaut Courtois helping the Red Devils finish third.
World Cup Year – Stage Reached – Record (W-D-L) – Goals Scored
1930 – Group Stage – 0-0-2019 says 1930: 0-0-2? (note: historical formatting)
1934 – Round of 16 – 0-0-1-0?
1938 – Round of 16 – 0-0-1-1
1950 – DNQ*
1954 – Group Stage – 0-1-1-5
1958 – DNQ
1962 – DNQ
1966 – DNQ
1970 – Group Stage – 1-0-2-4
1974 – DNQ
1978 – DNQ
1982 – Second Group Stage – 2-0-3-3
1986 – Fourth Place – 2-2-3-1
1990 – Round of 16 – 2-0-2-6
1994 – Round of 16 – 2-0-2-4
1998 – Group Stage – 0-3-0-3
2002 – Round of 16 – 1-2-1-6
2006 – DNQ
2010 – DNQ
2014 – Quarter-finals – 4-0-1-6
2018 – Third Place – 6-0-1-1
2022 – Group Stage – 1-1-1-1-2
2026 – Quarter-finals – 3-2-0-1
**2026 tournament ongoing
As of now, Belgium remains without a FIFA World Cup title. Their best finish remains third place in 2018, achieved under the guidance of Roberto Martínez, with a squad featuring Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku, and Thibaut Courtois helping the team reach the semifinals and then win the third-place playoff against England. Belgium’s golden generation also enjoyed strong runs in other World Cup campaigns, including a notable fourth-place finish in 1986 and several deep runs in the knockout stages during the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s.
Belgium’s current form at the 2026 World Cup has kept hopes alive of capturing their first world title, as they advanced to the quarterfinals and prepared to face Spain. Each match from the quarterfinals onward is effectively win-or-go-home, as Belgium pursues the country’s first victory at football’s most prestigious tournament. Spain stands as one of Belgium’s most formidable obstacles, but the Red Devils have demonstrated they can compete with top nations when firing on all cylinders.
For a broader view, The Sporting News continues to track Belgium’s all-time World Cup record, their most successful eras, and the players who have defined a generation of Belgian football.