Spain meet Belgium in a tasty all-European Quarter-Final showdown at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Victory would see Spain reach the semi-finals for the first time since they won the competition in 2010, whilst it would be their third overall semi-final appearance if they advance – having first reached the semi-finals in 1950 before they repeated that feat 60 years later.
Belgium likewise are chasing a third semi-final appearance in the World Cup – having previously reached that stage in 1986 and 2018 respectively, only to go on to finish fourth and third respectively at those tournaments.
Team News
Nico Williams could return for Spain after he missed their last two matches with an adductor injury.
Yeremy Pino is again set to miss out with a collarbone injury.
Belgium will be without midfielder, Amadou Onana after he suffered an ACL injury during their 4-1 Round of 16 win over USA, which has ruled him out for the remainder of the tournament.
When is Kick-Off?
Spain face Belgium at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, USA, at 12pm PDT (8pm BST) on Friday 10 July, live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Spain have won one of two previous World Cup Finals ties against Belgium (W1, L1), having lost 5-4 on penalties at this stage after a 1-1 draw in 1986 then won 2-1 in the Group Stage in 1990.
- Belgium are yet to lose to Spain at the World Cup when they played as the designated away team – having won on penalties in 1986 after they played out a 1-1 draw.
- Spain are yet to keep a clean sheet against Belgium at the World Cup Finals.
- Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal has put 10 of his 19 shots at this tournament off target.
- No Belgium player has drawn more fouls at this tournament than Jeremy Doku (13).
Prediction
Yet to concede a goal all tournament, Spain surely will believe that this is their Quarter-Final tie to lose given the confidence and clinical quality within their players after a ruthless late win in a grinder of a clash against Portugal.
Belgium meanwhile started very slowly in performance terms but have now found their groove with dominant wins over New Zealand and USA plus a gutsy comeback over Senegal in their last three, so they absolutely can’t be written off even without Onana in the team.
I am therefore expecting a superb battle because both teams clearly have in-form attacks but I just can’t see Spain losing this aside from their clean sheet record which is surely going to end here.
Prediction: Spain 2-1 Belgium
Result: Spain 2-1 Belgium