Belgium’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign ended in the quarter-final, where Spain won 2-1 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on Friday 10 July. Substitute Mikel Merino scored a stoppage-time winner to send Spain through to the semi-finals and bring the Red Devils’ tournament to a close.
This recap covers Belgium’s full run through the 2026 World Cup, from the group stage to the quarter-final defeat, and answers the most common questions about how the tournament ended for the Red Devils.
Belgium’s run through the 2026 World Cup
Belgium topped Group G unbeaten, then won two knockout matches before Spain ended their run in the quarter-final on 10 July. The table below recaps every Belgium fixture at the tournament, including the final result.
Group stage
- Belgium 1–1 Egypt — 15 June, Inglewood
- Belgium 0–0 Iran — 21 June, Seattle
- Belgium 5–1 New Zealand — 26 June, Vancouver
Knockout rounds
Belgium came from behind to beat Senegal 3-2 after extra time in the Round of 32 in Seattle, with Lukaku, Tielemans, and a late penalty completing the comeback. They followed it with their best performance of the tournament, beating host nation USA 4-1 in Seattle in the Round of 16, with two goals from De Ketelaere plus strikes from Vanaken and Lukaku.
Quarter-final: Spain end the run
Spain eliminated Belgium 2-1 in the quarter-final, with Fabián Ruiz opening the scoring in the 30th minute and Charles De Ketelaere levelling for Belgium in the 41st minute. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois went off injured in the 71st minute and was replaced by Senne Lammens.
- Fabián Ruiz — opener for Spain, 30th minute
- Charles De Ketelaere — equaliser for Belgium, 41st minute
- Thibaut Courtois — injured and substituted, 71st minute (replaced by Senne Lammens)
- Mikel Merino — match-winner for Spain, 88th minute, scoring within two minutes of coming on as a substitute
The result sent Spain into the semi-final against France, which Spain won 2-0 to reach the 2026 final. Follow the rest of the tournament, including the Final on 19 July, on the Wego World Cup 2026 hub.
| Fixture | Date & venue | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium vs Egypt | June 15, Inglewood | 1–1 |
| Belgium vs Iran | June 21, Seattle | 0–0 |
| Belgium vs New Zealand | June 26, Vancouver | 5–1 |
| Belgium vs Senegal | July 1, Seattle | 3–2 AET |
| Belgium vs USA | July 6, Seattle | 4–1 |
| Belgium vs Spain | July 10, Inglewood | 1–2 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How far did Belgium go at the 2026 World Cup?
Belgium reached the quarter-final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They were eliminated by Spain, who won 2-1 on 10 July 2026 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Who eliminated Belgium from the World Cup?
Spain eliminated Belgium in the quarter-final. Fabián Ruiz put Spain ahead before Charles De Ketelaere equalised, and substitute Mikel Merino scored a stoppage-time winner in the 88th minute.
What was the score in Belgium’s elimination match?
Spain won 2-1. Goals came from Fabián Ruiz (30′), Charles De Ketelaere for Belgium (41′), and Mikel Merino (88′) for Spain.
How did Belgium perform earlier in the tournament?
Belgium topped Group G unbeaten, drawing with Egypt and Iran before beating New Zealand 5-1, then won 3-2 after extra time against Senegal and 4-1 against the USA in the knockout rounds.
Sources
- FIFA — Spain v Belgium match report and highlights, quarter-final
- FIFA Match Centre — Spain 2-1 Belgium, quarter-final result and stats
- ESPN — Spain 2-1 Belgium, final score
- Al Jazeera — Spain 2-1 Belgium: FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final, as it happened
- CNN — Spain’s late winning goal breaks Belgian hearts to seal World Cup semi-final spot
- ESPN — 2026 FIFA World Cup match schedule, fixtures and results
- ESPN — Belgium 4-1 USA, Round of 16 final score
- Yahoo Sports — Round of 32 bracket and results
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