Belgium and Egypt are set to kick off their respective World Cup campaigns in Seattle on Monday. This Group G clash brings together two sides heavily favored to finish in the top two, with Iran and New Zealand meeting later in the day in Los Angeles.
Match Overview
Both nations are eager to prove themselves at this tournament. Belgium, who finished third in 2018, suffered a shock group-stage exit in Qatar four years ago and were eliminated in the last-16 at the most recent European Championship. Now under manager Rudi Garcia, the Red Devils are in a transitional phase, with only a few high-profile members of their so-called golden generation remaining as they integrate new talent.
Egypt, record seven-time Africa Cup of Nations winners, are appearing at only their fourth World Cup finals. They have never advanced past the group stage or won a single match at the tournament.
Date, Kick-off Time and Venue
Belgium vs Egypt is scheduled for an 8pm BST kick-off on Monday, June 15, 2026. The match will take place at Seattle Stadium (Lumen Field) in Seattle, Washington, home of the reigning NFL champion Seattle Seahawks and MLS side Seattle Sounders.
How to Watch Belgium vs Egypt for Free
TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live and free-to-air on BBC One, with coverage starting at 7:30pm BST.
Live stream: UK viewers can also watch live via BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.
Live blog: Follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport's live blog.
Free highlights: World Cup highlights are available on FIFA's official YouTube channel and website, as well as BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website, ITVX app, and ITV website.
Belgium vs Egypt Team News
Sporting defender Zeno Debast is in Belgium's squad but is not expected to play until later in the tournament due to injury. Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku left training early last week in a fitness scare but quickly returned. All-time leading scorer Romelu Lukaku is still lacking match fitness after a season wrecked by injury. He is one of four Belgium players competing at their fourth World Cup finals, along with Napoli team-mate Kevin de Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, and Axel Witsel.
Belgium squad: Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Senne Lammens, Mike Penders. Defenders: Timothy Castagne, Zeno Debast, Maxim de Cuyper, Koni de Winter, Brandon Mechele, Thomas Meunier, Nathan Ngoy, Joaquin Seys, Arthur Theate. Midfielders: Kevin de Bruyne, Amadou Onana, Nicolas Raskin, Youri Tielemans, Hans Vanaken, Axel Witsel. Forwards: Charles de Ketelaere, Jeremy Doku, Matias Fernandez-Pardo, Romelu Lukaku, Dodi Lukebakio, Diego Moreira, Alexis Saelemaekers, Leandro Trossard.
For Egypt, much rests on talismanic captain Mohamed Salah, who struggled with a hamstring injury during the latter stages of his final season at Liverpool. He went into the 2018 World Cup with a dislocated shoulder and missed the opening game before the Pharaohs crashed out in the group stage.
Egypt squad: Goalkeepers: Mohamed El Shenawy, Mostafa Shobeir, El Mahdi Soliman, Mohamed Alaa. Defenders: Mohamed Hany, Tarek Alaa, Hamdy Fathy, Rami Rabia, Yasser Ibrahim, Hossam Abdelmaguid, Mohamed Abdelmonem, Ahmed Fatouh, Karim Hafez. Midfielders: Marwan Ateya, Mohanad Lasheen, Nabil Emad, Mahmoud Saber, Ahmed Zizo, Emam Ashour, Mostafa Ziko, Trezeguet, Ibrahim Adel, Haissem Hassan. Forwards: Omar Marmoush, Mohamed Salah, Aqtay Abdallah, Hamza Abdelkarim.
Belgium vs Egypt Prediction
This is an intriguing game between two teams with something to prove. Belgium never achieved what they should have with their golden generation, whose remaining members are still influential but past their peaks. Egypt's lack of World Cup pedigree may surprise some, given their status as a top African force. They will be eager for their first win on the grandest stage, but we expect Belgium to narrowly edge them out. Prediction: Belgium to win 1-0.
Head to Head History
All four previous meetings have been friendlies. Belgium's sole win came with a 3-0 victory in Brussels before the 2018 World Cup. Their last match, in November 2022, saw a Salah-inspired Egypt win 2-1 in Kuwait.
- Belgium wins: 1
- Egypt wins: 3
- Draws: 0
Match Odds
Belgium to win: 8/13
Egypt to win: 9/2
Draw: 29/10
Odds via UK betting sites (subject to change). We aim to offer every online gambler a safe platform through unbiased reviews. Gambling can be addictive; always play responsibly and only bet what you can afford to lose. Help is available from BeGambleAware or Gamcare.
