Fifa World Cup 2026: What you need to know about Belgium
Belgium were eliminated in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup
- Published
Get the lowdown on every team at the 2026 World Cup. Here we take a closer look at Belgium.
What can I expect from Belgium?
The golden generation may be a fading era in Belgian football, but the national side are still reliant on some of its ageing stars.
Head coach Rudi Garcia's ideal first team would still feature a core of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, number 10 Kevin de Bruyne and striker Romelu Lukaku although Lukaku in particular is desperately short of minutes as Belgium aim to erase painful memories of a group-stage exit in 2022.
Garcia is yet to build a cohesive identity since being appointed head coach at the start of 2025, meaning Belgium's best hope of success may centre on trusting the next generation of Flemish talent like Jeremy Doku and Charles De Ketelaere in the 4-2-3-1 system Garcia has tended towards, rather than overly depending on a swansong from veterans who have so far failed to match their golden billing.
What are Belgium's strengths?
Even in the potential absence of an unfit Lukaku, Belgium's forward line remains their most potent weapon.
De Ketelaere has recorded three goals and three assists under Garcia, sometimes operating as a false nine, while an in-form Doku and Premier League winner Leandro Trossard should also start.
And what about their weaknesses?
A defence that let in five qualifying goals against Wales has been weakened by injury to centre-back Zeno Debast, who isn't expected to feature until the third game.
Garcia selected a back five for the first time in the warm-up win against Croatia, perhaps pointing to the need for enhanced protection.
How might Belgium line up?
Which players should I look out for?
Only Cristiano Ronaldo has scored more international goals for European teams than Romelu Lukaku but the Napoli striker enters a second successive World Cup with serious question marks over his fitness.
He had played 69 minutes in the entirety of 2025-26 ahead of the warm-up friendlies before scoring as a substitute against Croatia.
Kevin De Bruyne remains Belgium's creative totem although he has also endured an injury-hit debut campaign with Napoli, making just 16 starts.
Twenty-six major tournament appearances is a joint-Belgium record, along with Lukaku. De Bruyne top scored with six goals in qualifying.
Charles De Ketelaere could lead the line if Lukaku is limited to an impact role. His shift from a number 10 to a striker at Atalanta was reflected in four qualifiers, scoring two goals and providing three assists.
Belgium are making their 15th World Cup appearance - no European team has qualified for as many tournaments without ever winning the trophy
Who is Belgium's head coach?
Rudi Garcia was not an obvious choice to replace the sacked Dominic Tedesco given he'd never managed an international side before and had been fired by Napoli after just 16 games in his previous job - but he got Belgium to the World Cup.
How did Belgium qualify?
Belgium topped Group J undefeated but were held to draws by Kazakhstan and North Macedonia, twice. Second-place Wales were only two points behind.
Where can I watch Belgium?
All of Belgium's matches will also be covered live on the BBC Sport website and app with updates, analysis, and fan reaction. Come and be part of it!
Give me a fact to impress my friends
Romelu Lukaku, Kevin de Bruyne, Axel Witsel and Thibaut Courtois could all emulate the only two Belgians to play in four World Cups - Enzo Scifo and Franky Van der Elst.
Now give me some proper detail
"Underdog" is how Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia described his squad on the eve of this tournament and while that may not ring entirely true for fixtures with group-stage opponents Egypt, Iran and New Zealand, Belgium's recent major tournaments have rather underwhelmed.
They were knocked out in the group stage at Qatar 2022 for only the second time at a World Cup since the 1980s. They then won just one match at Euro 2024 under Garcia's predecessor Dominic Tedesco before losing in the last 16 to an out-of-sorts France.
Their past two major tournaments consist of three defeats, two draws and only two wins, scoring three goals in seven games.
"The objective is simply to finish top of the group and progress from the group stage; we'll then see who we're drawn against in the next rounds," said Garcia.
"We're not favourites, but I prefer this underdog position, which doesn't stand in the way of ambition."
The former Lille, Roma and Napoli boss was appointed to a first job in international football in January 2025 after the Red Devils had won just two of their final 10 games under Tedesco and Garcia's biggest challenge – as yet unresolved – has been how to best combine Belgium's younger talent with the remaining golden generation.
How have Belgium done at previous World Cups?
