Belgium

Few European nations have been as reliably present on the World Cup stage as Belgium. The Red Devils made deep, memorable runs as far back as the 1980s, and their celebrated golden generation of the 2010s turned them into genuine contenders, peaking with a third-place finish in 2018 and years spent near the top of the world rankings. Even in transitional cycles, Belgium have rarely arrived at a tournament without expectation following them.

The 2026 campaign feels like a new chapter: the golden generation has largely passed the torch, and a younger, quicker Belgian core now carries the famous red shirt across North America. Group G gives them a fascinating spread of opposition — an Egypt side built around world-class attacking star power, an Iran team that has become one of Asia's most stubborn and streetwise tournament regulars, and a New Zealand squad relishing its return to the sport's biggest stage. On paper Belgium are the group's heavyweight; in practice, each rival presents a completely different tactical puzzle.

Belgium open against Egypt — 15 Jun 2026, 12:00 local at Lumen Field, Seattle (listed home), then meet Iran — 21 Jun 2026, 12:00 local at SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles (listed home), before closing against New Zealand — 26 Jun 2026, 20:00 local at BC Place, Vancouver. Under the expanded 48-team format, the top two in Group G advance automatically and eight of the best third-placed sides also reach the Round of 32, so even a stumble along the way is survivable. For Belgium, though, the real prize is winning the group outright and earning a kinder route through the knockout bracket.

It is a West Coast tour with real charm — two lunchtime kickoffs in Seattle and Los Angeles, then a night match in Vancouver — and a chance for a new Belgian generation to write its own tournament story rather than live in the shadow of the last one.