Belgium's Red Devils are back on the world's biggest stage. The Red Devils are back after a disappointing group stage finish in Qatar 2022, but now in a new outfit and with a new resolve to make themselves fit for the elite of world football. Belgium are looking to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and are coached up next for the 2026 in North America.Belgium are making their way through the qualification stages for the FIFA World Cup 2026, and this summer they have a coach to watch in North America.
Belgium are playing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup at a time of a generational shift. The "Golden Generation" that dominated the world football stage has been superseded by a younger, slimmer team – the same team with some experienced international stars, but now many more to be found on the bench.
Current FIFA Ranking: #9 (as of 2026)
Head Coach: Rudi Garcia
In January 2025, Frenchman took the place of sacked Domenico Tedesco as Belgium's head coach. With 14 years of club management, Garcia has had the opportunity to win the Ligue 1 championship with Lille in 2011 and lead Lyon to a . He has previously played for Roma, Marseille, Lyon, Al Nassr and Napoli. The 2026 World Cup will be his inaugural big competition managing a national team.
Garcia's game is one in which possession is emphasized and the ball is handled in an attacking manner, with a focus on passing vertically and moving the ball quickly. Under Garcia, Belgium aim to dominate games with midfield players such as Kevin De Bruyne and play the game through wide players such as pacey Jérémy Doku.
Interestingly, Garcia added Belgium's legendary coach Eden Hazard to his bench as well — a move that was hailed as a positive move for both staff and symbolism.
Current Form: Belgium are unbeaten and run a sterling goal difference in their UEFA qualifying group, and will enter the tournament as high scorers in the Group G. One of the main uncertainties before the tournament is the fitness of the key players, such as De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku.
Belgium's UEFA Group J campaign was unbeaten in eight matches, securing them an automatic spot in the knockout stage as the group winners.
| Stat | Figure |
| Matches Played | 8 |
| Wins | 5 |
| Draws | 3 |
| Losses | 0 |
| Goals Scored | 29 |
| Goals Conceded | 7 |
| Points | 18 |
Belgium's quest for qualification was a show of intent right from the start. Their team of Wales, North Macedonia, Liechtenstein and Kazakhstan was led with conviction and professional precision.
Top Scorer in Qualifying: Kevin De Bruyne (6 goals) - The veteran midfielder is an astounding return for the ex-Tottenham striker and his impressive international debut..
Belgium's qualification for the World Cup was their fourth in a row, reflecting their long history in the game of Europe and the world.
Belgium will play in Group G with Egypt and Iran, as well as New Zealand. The group stage games will be played in the West Coast of the United States and Canada.
| Date | Match | Venue | City |
| June 15, 2026 | Belgium vs. Egypt | Lumen Field | Seattle, USA |
| June 21, 2026 | Belgium vs. Iran | SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles Stadium) | Los Angeles, USA |
| June 26, 2026 | New Zealand vs. Belgium | BC Place | Vancouver, Canada |
Belgium face Egypt in their first matches of the tournament at Seattle's Lumen Field on June 15 in what will be one of the most interesting individual showdowns so far in the group stage – with Kevin De Bruyne facing off against Mohamed Salah. Their second match takes them to Los Angeles to play Iran on June 21 and then the group finishes with a trip north to Vancouver to take on New Zealand on June 26.
The top two teams in each group and eight of the eight best third place finishers make the cut, moving on to the round of 32. Belgium (the number one country in the group) are expected to progress but there are no guarantees at a World Cup.
Belgium has been involved in the FIFA World Cup for almost 100 years, since the inaugural World Cup.
| Category | Detail |
| First Appearance | 1930 (inaugural tournament) |
| Most Recent Appearance | 2022 (Qatar) |
| Best Finish | 3rd Place (2018, Russia) |
| Total Appearances | 14 |
| Total Wins | 22 (in 51 matches) |
Before the modern golden age of the Belgian side, the ' best ever World Cup performance before that was their semi-final loss to Argentina in Mexico 1986 which saw them finish in 4th place, the top finish ever at that time.
However, nothing was more captivating to the world than Russia 2018. Roberto Martínez's Belgium team was possibly the strongest that has ever lined up and finished in 3rd place after defeating England 2-0 in the third place play-off to win the medal. The triumph over a much favoured Brazil side in the quarter-final, the goal coming from an incredible counter-attacking move, is still one of the most noted moments in Belgian football history.
The Qatar 2022 World Cup has been a lesson in the harsh truth. Ranked second in the world going in, Belgium mustered just one win from their three group matches and exited at the group stage for the first time since 1998. The performance was a good sign of the end of the golden generation era and brought significant changes to the squad and management.
Belgium were one of 13 countries to take part in the first FIFA World Cup in 1930 in Uruguay and were eliminated in the quarter-final against Uruguay 1–0. That showed a lot for a country that would have an impact on the game for the next several decades.
Without , there is no Belgium. Manchester City's midfielder is now at the club's disposal as the Red Devils' engine at 34 years old, having ventured to Italy as a free agent. He is irreplaceable with his vision, passing range and his ability to come up with the goods when it matters most. He has scored six goals in World Cup qualifying for Belgium, and is the player who opponents will dread the most.
is the captain and the stability and leadership to give Belgium in the middle of the park and Aston Villa are delivering just that. He is the ideal passer through him, with his free-roam running ability, ability to win the ball and ability to distribute well.
Belgian winger of the year Jérémy Doku is a compelling prospect for Manchester City in 2026. Doku's pace and dribbling skills were electric and he was one of the most potent, direct forwards in Europe during the qualifying rounds. His brace in the 7–0 triumph over Liechtenstein proved that his importance to the team was rising.
Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku, who has become the country's top scorer of all time with 53 goals, is also taking his country's goal-scoring tradition to the tournament. But injury worries and a hapless run of form at the club have brought into question his form and fitness. He is still a strong physical and aerial threat in the forwards if he is prepared at the World Cup. Belgium could rely on him more heavily if he is not 100%, as they might need to do with De Bruyne and Doku.
Romelu Lukaku is the all-time leading scorer for Belgium, with the legendary Thierry? her predecessor. No - Belgium's own Jan Ceulemans to become the country's most prolific international striker.
Belgium's talent is their creative midfield, which is enriched by De Bruyne and steered by Tielemans. In the best of form and shape, the Red Devils can rival any team in the world for ball control and opportunity creation. They are a well-rounded team with a 29 - 7 record, with no team that they have played having won more than eight times.
Belgium's wide attacker with Jérémy Doku is a big threat in the transition phase, especially to the most organised of defences.
There is concern with defensive transitions as well, with the 4-3 early-season rout of Wales clearly illustrating their issues. When their opponents do force them to turn possession over in dangerous areas, Belgium's defensive four can be vulnerable.
Lukaku, De Bruyne and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois are also key fitness issues. Belgia's ceiling is dramatically raised when all their key names are there and in form.
One of the better draws for a European side is Group G. With Mohamed Salah, Egypt will be the toughest draw to beat, but Belgium are expected to be the biggest favourites to finish top of the group.
The longer-term outlook depends on their luck with the knockout stage and the well-being of their key players. A Round of 16 appearance is the bar which needs to be met, a Quarter-final is a great result for a team in transition.
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Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia, was appointed as the head coach of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in January 2025. The veteran French coach has coached Lille, Roma, Marseille, Lyon and Napoli.
Belgium secured their place in the tournament by winning all 8 matches and drawing 3 in the UEFA Qualifying Group J – with 29 goals and 7 conceded.
Romelu Lukaku is the all-time top scorer for Belgium. Kevin De Bruyne's 6 goals played a significant role in the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Belgium's first game is June 15, 2026 vs Egypt at Lumen Field in Seattle, USA on June 15, 2026 (3:00 PM ET).
Belgium's best achievement has been third place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia where they beat England 2–0 in the third place play-off.
Belgium's top player is considered to be Kevin De Bruyne. The veteran midfielder is the team's creative force and also the best striker in World Cup qualification, adding his own touches to the ball.
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