​After a disappointingly slow start in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, Belgium appears to have found its rhythm in the knockout rounds. It took more than 80 minutes for Belgium to awaken in the round of 32 against Senegal. Trailing 2-0, the Red Devils struck twice to force extra time, then prevailed 3-2 in a tense finish. They carried that momentum into a 4-1 dismantling of the United States in the round of 16. Now Belgium aims to sustain this surge against Spain, the reigning European champions, in the quarterfinals.
In the round of 16, Belgium coach Rudi Garcia selected a pace-filled starting XI, a lineup that kept Kevin De Bruyne out of the starting XI for the match. Jérémy Doku and Romelu Lukaku also began the game on the bench, though both were brought on in the second half, with Lukaku scoring to cap a dominant victory over the hosts. De Bruyne did not feature at all in the round of 16 and will be fresh and ready for the Spain showdown. With Amadou Onana unavailable due to injury, Garcia is expected to adjust his starting XI again for the Spain game.
De Ketelaere contributed two goals in the win over the United States, and the upcoming lineup affords Garcia the option to bring Lukaku off the bench in the second half to inject another burst of offensive energy if needed. The Belgium-Spain quarterfinal is set for July 10 and will be carried nationwide on FOX, with Telemundo providing Spanish-language coverage. Fox One, Peacock (Spanish-language), and Fubo will stream the match.
The schedule and broadcast details for supporters wanting to follow Belgium’s campaign remain clear: the July 10 quarterfinal against Spain will be hosted at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, with a potential follow-up clash on July 14, when the Belgium-Spain winner would meet France at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Here’s a snapshot of Belgium’s World Cup results to date and the path that lies ahead if they advance past Spain:
– June 15: Belgium 1, Egypt 1
– June 21: Belgium 0, Iran 0
– June 26: Belgium 5, New Zealand 1
– July 1: Belgium 3, Senegal 2
– July 6: Belgium 4, USA 1
– July 10: Belgium vs. Spain (SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California)
– July 14: Belgium-Spain winner vs. France (AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas)
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Senne Lammens (Manchester United), Mike Penders (Racing Strasbourg)
Defenders: Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Zeno Debast (Sporting Lisbon), Maxim De Cuyper (Brighton & Hove Albion), Koni De Winter (AC Milan), Brandon Mechele (Club Brugge), Thomas Meunier (Lille), Nathan Ngoy (Lille), Joaquin Seys (Club Brugge), Arthur Theate (Eintracht Frankfurt)