World Cup 2026 · Group GBelgiumOdds, Fixtures & Squad

Belgium arrive in North America at what may be the final act of their golden generation. De Bruyne, Courtois and Lukaku are each at their fourth World Cup, and the window that has defined the national team's ambitions is closing in real time.

Squad strengths and key players. De Bruyne, 34, remains the creative axis — controlling tempo from an advanced central role, delivering set pieces and carrying a direct free-kick threat few international midfielders can match. Jeremy Doku is the squad's primary wide danger: five goals and two assists in qualifying, including a brace in the 7-0 rout of Liechtenstein in November 2025, and one-on-one dribbling that organised defences struggle to contain. Youri Tielemans (13 international goals) anchors the double pivot alongside Amadou Onana and opened the scoring in Belgium's 2-0 friendly win over Croatia on June 2. Courtois anchors a back line that is more rebuilt than settled.

Injuries and squad news. The central fitness question, as of June 2, surrounds Lukaku. Belgium's all-time leading scorer (89 international goals) was publicly described by Garcia as "out of shape" before selection, having made only around one hour of competitive club football all season — five Serie A substitute appearances for Napoli. Reports suggest various earlier injury setbacks, though the details are unconfirmed. He was named in the final 26; his stoppage-time goal against Croatia eased the concern without resolving it. Match sharpness, not an active layoff, is the live variable.

Tactical setup. Under Garcia (appointed January 2025), Belgium play a 4-2-3-1 that can flex to 4-3-3, built on possession, high pressing and quick vertical transitions. Qualifying exposed a recurring weakness: two draws against North Macedonia (1-1 and 0-0) confirmed difficulty breaking down compact defences — a problem Iran and New Zealand will attempt to replicate.

Group G path and realistic ceiling. Belgium open against Egypt in Seattle on June 15, face Iran in Los Angeles on June 21 and close against New Zealand in Vancouver on June 26. They qualified unbeaten from UEFA Group J (W5 D3 L0, 29 goals scored) and enter as clear Group G favourites. Garcia has publicly positioned Belgium as outsiders rather than title contenders. The realistic ceiling is a quarterfinal run; a deeper push is possible if fitness holds and the rebuilt defence proves more reliable than qualifying suggested.

Outlook. This is a squad capable of beating most opponents on a given night, with a defensive unit fragile enough to be punished by the right one. The 2026 campaign feels less like a breakthrough and more like a structured farewell for a generation that came closer than the record reflects. If De Bruyne performs near his ceiling and Lukaku regains sharpness, Belgium can be dangerous in the knockout rounds — but how far they go depends as much on the bracket as on whether Garcia can stabilise the back line before it faces a top-ten opponent.