The knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is here. Forty-eight teams entered, and only 32 remain in a single-elimination tournament to claim world football’s most prestigious prize.
Here is everything you need to know about Belgium vs. Senegal in the Round of 32.
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 1 p.m. PT at Seattle Stadium on Wednesday, July 1.
WHERE TO WATCH: The match will air on FS1 and can be streamed on FOX One.
Eastside Rivalry Pass
Join the rivalry on July 16 and catch the Sounders vs Portland. The Eastside Rivalry Pass is the best way to travel from Redmond to attend the match. Each bundle includes a ticket and free transit the match. To make your trip easier, we’ve partnered with King County Metro and Experience Redmond to offer you free fare on Metro buses, Link light rail, or other transit services (while supplies last).
ABOUT BELGIUM:
- FIFA ranking: 9
- Manager: Rudi Garcia
- Nickname: The Red Devils
- How they qualified: Belgium secured one of Europe’s automatic berths by winning their UEFA qualifying group
- World Cup appearances: 15
- Overall World Cup record (W-L-T): 22-20-12
- Best-ever finish: Third (2018)
- 2022 World Cup result: Did not advance out of group stage
- How they reached the 2026 Round of 32: Group G winners
- Group stage results:
- Matchday 1: Drew Egypt 1-1
- Matchday 2: Drew IR Iran 0-0
- Matchday 3: Defeated New Zealand 5-1
- Players to know:
- Kevin De Bruyne, M: One of the best players of his generation, the 34-year-old playmaker has earned 122 caps for his country. The former longtime Manchester City man now plies his trade for Napoli in Italy’s Serie A and is still one of the game’s most inventive players on his day. He got on the score sheet in the romp over New Zealand for his 38th career international goal.
- Romelu Lukaku, F: The 33-year-old is the most decorated forward in Belgium history with 91 goals. Now relegated to a super sub, Lukaku forced an own goal within seconds of entering the pitch in Belgium’s draw with Egypt before adding a tally of his own against New Zealand. The hulking center forward has amassed the second-highest career transfer fees of all-time behind only Neymar and currently suits up as De Bruyne’s teammate at Napoli.
- Leandro Trossard, M: Trossard scored six goals and added six assists to help lead Arsenal to this season’s English Premier League title. The 31-year-old winger scored twice in the win over New Zealand and now has 14 goals in 54 caps for the Red Devils.
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ABOUT SENEGAL:
- FIFA ranking: 18
- Manager: Pape Thiaw
- Nickname: Les Lions de la Téranga (The Lions of Teranga)
- How they qualified: Finished first in Group B of CAF qualifying
- World Cup appearances: 4
- Overall World Cup record (W-L-T): 6-6-3
- Best-ever finish: Quarterfinals (2002)
- 2022 World Cup result: Round of 16
- How they reached the 2026 Round of 32: One of the top eight third-place finishers after earning three points in Group I
- Group stage results:
- Matchday 1: Lost to France 3-1
- Matchday 2: Lost to Norway 3-2
- Matchday 3: Defeated Iraq 5-0
- Players to know:
- Sadio Mané, F: The face of the Senegal national team, Mané has been surprisingly kept off the score sheet so far. The Al-Nassr forward and former Liverpool star is his country’s all-time leading goal scorer with 54 tallies in 129 caps, and even at 34 years old is one of the most dangerous 1-v-1 attackers at the World Cup.
- Ismaïla Sarr, F: The 28-year-old leads Senegal with three goals in three matches to open the World Cup and has been a nightmare for opposing defenses to stop. The Crystal Palace forward scored nine times in 13 UEFA Conference League matches this past year to lead Palace to its first European title.
- Kalidou Koulibaly, D: Koulibaly was one of the most imposing center backs in Italy from 2014-22 where he made more than 200 appearances for Napoli. The 35-year-old Senegalese captain has earned over 100 caps and now plies his trade for Mané’s Saudi Pro League rival Al-Hilal.
