Belgium vs Senegal: the way to the 2026 World Cup, when and at what time to watch

The match between Belgium and Senegal is one of the most interesting pairs of the 1/16 finals of the 2026 World Cup. Belgium came out of Group G from first place, but not without failures, and Senegal is going as a team capable of dramatically improving during the tournament after two defeats and a major victory over Iraq. In terms of composition and depth, the Belgians look a little more stable, while the Senegalese are no less dangerous in terms of crossing power and physics. The match will take place on July 1 at Seattle Stadium in Seattle.

The Way of Belgium

Rudy Garcia's team came to the tournament after finishing first in the European qualifying group. Already before the World Cup, Belgium showed good form in friendly matches with Croatia and Tunisia, and at the tournament itself it passed the group: 1-1 with Egypt, 0-0 with Iran and 5-1 with New Zealand, with the victory in the last round bringing the first place. The main figures are de Bruyne, Courtois, Lukaku, Trossard, Doku. Separately, it is important to note that Lukaku worked as a reinforcement from the bench.

The Way of Senegal

Senegal's Pape Thiawa's start at the World Cup was tough: 1-3 against France, 2-3 against Norway, but then 5-0 against Iraq happened, and the team clung to the playoffs. The main characters are Sadio Mane, Coulibaly, Mendy, Ilim Ndiaye, Papadar Sarr, Ismaila Sarr: this is a mixture of experience, speed and power in transitions.

How can the match go

Judging by the Belgium players, a scenario with more possession, a pass through de Bruyne and flank width is logical. Senegal have more direct football, pressure in duels and quick attacks through Mane and Sarre. For the Belgians, the risk is the space behind the high ends and the imperfect balance without the ball; for the Senegalese, if they have to defend low for a long time, the load on Coulibaly and Mendy's line will increase.

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Belgium is approaching this meeting a little more solidly in the tournament and deeper in the names, but Senegal has already shown that it can dramatically change the dynamics and punish mistakes in transitions. We are waiting for a swing match, where the first goal is especially important: if Belgium scores it, the game will go into the control of the Red Devils. If Senegal takes the lead first, the favorite may get a very uncomfortable and torn scenario.