USA and Belgium meet at the FIFA World Cup™ for the first time since their dramatic Round of 16 encounter at Brazil 2014, with another place in the quarter-finals up for grabs in Seattle. While the USA squad has totally transformed from that 2014 meeting, Belgium can still call on stalwarts Thibaut Courtois, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku – with Axel Witsel also a part of the Red Devils’ 2026 squad.

Mauricio Pochettino's side reached the last 16 after finishing top of Group D and then overcoming Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in the Round of 32 despite playing much of the second half with ten men. Folarin Balogun, whose performances have been central to the USA's run, opened the scoring but was sent off in the 64th minute. His suspension has now been overturned, meaning he is available as the Stars and Stripes look to secure a first quarter-final berth since 2002.

Belgium, meanwhile, are bidding to reach the last eight for the fourth time and the third in the past four editions of the tournament. Rudi Garcia’s men topped Group G ahead of Egypt, IR Iran and New Zealand, before producing one of the tournament's most remarkable comebacks in the Round of 32. Recovering from 2-0 down with seven minutes remaining, the Red Devils defeated Senegal 3-2 after extra time thanks to a brace from captain Youri Tielemans and a strike from substitute Lukaku.

The two nations faced each other in a March friendly, with Belgium comfortably running out 5-2 winners in Atlanta.

USA possible starting XI

Turner; Dest, Richards, Ream, A. Robinson; Adams, McKennie; Weah, Tillman, Pulisic; Balogun

Belgium possible starting XI

Courtois; Castagne, Mechele, Theate, De Cuyper; Tielemans, Vanaken; De Bruyne, Trossard, Doku; Lukaku

What they said...

“I’ll be focusing on the match and my team. The fact that Balogun will be playing tomorrow doesn’t change anything for us. Let’s not waste time talking about this issue. We can and must improve in terms of consistency throughout the match. Sometimes we play well and produce good football, at other times we struggle.” Rudi Garcia, Belgium coach

"We know tomorrow’s match will be a very tough one. We know that if we win, we’ll face either Portugal or Spain – they’re two of the favourites to win the tournament. Playing against Spain, if it comes to that, would be special for me, given that I’ve lived there for a long time. But right now we’re focused on this match...I think we’re a younger team now compared to previous World Cups. This is a new era, even though there are still players from the ‘Golden Generation’. We’ve got a different team now, for example, compared to the one we had in Qatar." Thibaut Courtois, Belgium goalkeeper

“I believe the players have a responsibility to leave a lasting legacy from this World Cup. We’ll always remember this journey, which isn’t about winning, but about what we do throughout the tournament. Since the match against Australia, I’ve seen so many people playing football and so many fans on the streets, and I think that’s the most important legacy. The World Cup is an incredible opportunity to help football improve here. If this country starts to realise the importance of this sport, it could be magnificent."

"I have a lot of respect for Belgium. I believe they are one of the teams that will be playing to win this World Cup. We will play against one of the greatest teams in the world. I think it will be a different situation to the friendly in March and I hope for a different performance and perhaps a different result. We’ll have the fans on our side. it’s an important competition, so I hope everything will be different." Mauricio Pochettino, USA coach

Previous World Cup meetings

Belgium and USA's first World Cup encounter came in the inaugural tournament in 1930, with the Stars and Stripes completing a convincing 3-0 victory thanks to Bart McGhee's brace. However, the USA have not beaten Belgium since – a run stretching six games and almost 100 years. The only other competitive meeting between the nations came in the Round of 16 of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, with goals from De Bruyne and Lukaku handing the Red Devils a thrilling 2-1 victory after extra-time in Salvador after goalkeeper Tim Howard did everything he could to keep USA in the game with an astonishing 16 saves, which remains a World Cup record.

Seattle Stadium boasts a unique horseshoe shape with an open north end to give a stunning view of the Seattle skyline. Featuring twice in the Guinness World Records as the loudest outdoor stadium, with the feats achieved in September and December 2013, the ground has become known as a fortress for the likes of Major League Soccer side Seattle Sounders and the National Football League's Seattle Seahawks. At the 2026 World Cup, Seattle has hosted Bosnia and Herzegovina's 3-1 victory over Qatar, USA's 2-0 triumph over Australia and Egypt's 1-1 draw with IR Iran. While USA have played once in Seattle, Belgium have had two games there – drawing 1-1 with Egypt in their first Group G game before triumphing in dramatic fashion against Senegal in the Round of 32. (FIFA)

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