Belgium vs. US World Cup Prediction as Balogun's Red Card Lifted

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The 2026 World Cup Round of 16 will see the duel between the USA and Belgium at the Seattle Stadium on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at 07:00 a.m. Jakarta time. For Indonesian fans, the match will be broadcast live by TVRI.

The USA is seeking to finally put an end to its long wait for the World Cup quarter-finals. The team, led by Mauricio Pochettino, advanced to the round of 16 after beating Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 during the first knockout phase. Meanwhile, Belgium secured its spot after the win over Senegal 3-2 in an overtime match.

The USA's best performance in the World Cup dated all the way back to the tournament's inaugural edition in 1930 when they finished in third place. Their best achievement since then was reaching the quarter-finals in the 2002 World Cup.

However, in the last three editions they participated in, in 2010, 2014, and 2022, The Stars and Stripes were always stopped in the round of 16.

In the 2026 World Cup, the USA performed convincingly in the group stage, finishing as the champion of Group D with six points. This result brought them to the round of 32, before eliminating Bosnia-Herzegovina with a score of 2-0.

Belgium advanced to the knockout stage as the champion of Group G with five points. In the round of 32, the team led by Rudi Garcia had to work hard before eliminating Senegal. The Red Devils were initially two goals down until the last five minutes of regular time. Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans scored two goals in quick succession to equalize the score to 2-2. Tielemans then secured the victory with a penalty kick in the 120th minute.

Belgium has a fairly good experience in the World Cup. They finished in third place in the 2018 edition. However, Belgium failed to advance from the group stage in Qatar 2022. This result was considered one of their golden generation's biggest disappointments.

Current Team Conditions

The USA was initially set to lose their main striker, Folarin Balogun, who had to serve a suspension after receiving a red card when his team defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 in the round of 32. However, Mauricio Pochettino breathed a sigh of relief after FIFA suspended the ban. Balogun has scored three goals in the 2026 World Cup.

As quoted from Sportsmole, Balogun's position is expected to be filled by Ricardo Pepi, who has scored 13 goals across 41 appearances for the USA national team. Additionally, Mark McKenzie is still doubtful to play due to a leg injury, while Cristian Roldan has muscle problems and his condition will be monitored until the match. On the other hand, Sergino Dest, Christian Pulisic, and Tyler Adams are expected to remain key players.

In the Belgian camp, defender Zeno Debast is still doubtful to play due to an injury. The 22-year-old player has not yet appeared throughout the tournament.

Meanwhile, Romelu Lukaku, who has scored two goals in four matches in the 2026 World Cup, is expected to start the game from the bench. The 33-year-old striker is predicted to only be fielded in the second half.

Leandro Trossard is confirmed to be in good condition despite previously experiencing fitness issues. He is expected to join the attacking line alongside Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku to support Charles De Ketelaere as the spearhead.

Head-to-head: USA vs. Belgium

• Despite playing in front of their home supporters, the meeting record does not favor the USA. As quoted from Sportskeeda, Belgium has won six of the last seven meetings between the two teams. The only USA victory over Belgium occurred at the 1930 World Cup.
• The most recent meeting of the two countries took place in an international friendly match in March 2026. Belgium won convincingly with a score of 5-2, extending their winning streak against the USA to six consecutive matches.
• The USA and Belgium also met in the round of 16 of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. At that time, Belgium won 2-1 after extra time and advanced to the quarter-finals.

Predicted Lineups

USA (4-3-3): Matt Freese; Alex Freeman, Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson; Malik Tillman, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie; Sergino Dest, Folarin Balogun, Christian Pulisic.

Belgium (4-2-3-1): Thibaut Courtois; Timothy Castagne, Arthur Theate, Brandon Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper; Hans Vanaken, Youri Tielemans; Leandro Trossard, Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku; Charles De Ketelaere.

Prediction

With a very dominant meeting record, Belgium is more favored to advance to the quarter-finals. However, the USA has the home-game advantage, a factor that could as well be a game-changer during this Round of 16 duel.

Read: Belgium Protests FIFA Decision to Clear Balogun for US Clash

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