The round of 16 has arrived and it’s a moment of truth for the World Cup hosts the United States, they take on traditional European powerhouse Belgium. It’s the United States vs Belgium for a spot in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals. We offer team news and predicted lineups for this pivotal matchup.
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United States vs Belgium
Date: Monday, July 6th, 2026
Venue: Lumen Field in Seattle
Kick Off: 20:00 in Seattle
Referee: Adham Makhadmeh
Current Odds:
United States Team News
If Mauricio Pochettino can come up with an effective plan to replace key striker Folarin Balogun, who was red carded against Bosnia, he will put the United States in the best position to win this match. The most obvious solution is Ricardo Pepi, who is designed as Balogun’s backup. However, if Pepi doesn’t start well, the break glass option is Haji Wright, who hasn’t played in the World Cup, while Pepi has seen action in two group stage games.
The other players out for the USA are Cristian Roldan, who continues to rehab, and Mark McKenzie, neither of whom are considered essential. Outside of replacing Balogun, the USMNT should continue with their 4-3-3 that has been offensively productive all tournament. That includes Alex Freeman and Tim Ream in the back, Tyler Adams dictating the midfield, and Sergino Dest and Christian Pulisic as wing forwards.
Adams said: “As a team we want to leave our mark on the game and a legacy behind, I want it to be more than just what this moment has created and the hype around it.” as the energy around the USMNT is at an all time high. More than 33 million Americans watched the round of 32 victory against Bosnia, and ratings for this match are expected to be higher. It’s 12 years since Belgium narrowly defeated the United States in a World Cup knockout game.
Belgium Team News
Rudi Garcia’s Belgium have been inconsistent this World Cup. A 3-2 comeback win over Senegal was sparked by Garcia’s bold move to substitute Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku off the pitch. Though both players are expected to return as starters, the “ideal” XI for Belgium is an open question. The key player is captain Youri Tielemans in the midfield, Zeno Debast isn’t fit, and thus Arthur Theate and Brandon Mechele are likely to continue as the CB pair.
Charles De Ketelaere is the preferred striker over Romelo Lukaku, but the veteran Lukaku is certain to get minutes off the bench if Belgium are tied or trailing in the second half. When these teams met in March, Dodi Lukebakio scored two goals, but he’s only played 96 minutes in this World Cup. Amadou Onana, a midfield substitute now, was also a goalscorer in that game. Now a few months later, it’s the United States vs Belgium again.
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United States Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1)
GK: Matt Freese
Defenders: Alex Freeman, Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson
Midfield: Tyler Adams, Sergino Dest, Weston McKennie, Malik Tillman
Forwards: Christian Pulisic, Ricardo Pepi
Belgium Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1)
GK: Thibaut Courtois
Defenders: Timothy Castagne, Brandon Mechele, Arthur Theate, Maxim De Cuyper
Midfield: Youri Tielemans, Hans Vanaken, Kevin De Bruyne
Forwards: Leandro Trossard, Jeremy Doku, Charles De Ketelaere
Main Photo Credit: Smartframe Images
