Spain vs Belgium Preview: Team News & Prediction | FIFA World Cup 2026 | Quarter-Final
Spain have found their way to a FIFA World Cup quarter-final for the first time since they won the tournament in South Africa in 2010 as La Roja take on a Belgium side that are finding their rhythm.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – BBC / USA – FOX Sports
How to watch online: UK – BBC iPlayer & the BBC Sport website & app / USA – FOX One
Spain preview: The European champions
The UEFA EURO 2024 winners avenged their defeat to Portugal in the final of last summer’s UEFA Nations League by defeating their Iberian neighbours in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup. A late Mikel Merino winner, assisted by Ferran Torres, edged them through a technically efficient but largely uneventful affair in Dallas.
The Spanish and the term uneventful has gone hand-in-hand through this tournament with an unconvincing group stage that saw them defeat Saudi Arabia and Uruguay to nil after a goalless draw with Cabo Verde before they then eased past a fairly toothless Austria side in the Round of 32.
Belgium preview: Finding their form
Up against co-hosts USA in Seattle in the Round of 16, Belgium were by far the better side as they hammered the Americans by four goals to one. A Charles De Ketelaere brace was supported by strikes from Hans Vanaken and Romelu Lukaku as Belgium punished a nervous and poor USA side on the day.
That came a few days after the Belgians had come from 2-0 down with just a few minutes of the 90 to go to defeat Senegal in the Round of 32 at the same stadium in the northwest of the United States. The Belgians were desperate for much of that game but turned it on its head with Rudi Garcia making some big changes to find their much-needed form.
Spain team news: No need to change
Further team news will appear here closer to the match after pre-match press conferences…
Spain continue to have issues in terms of injuries in attack with both Yeremy Pino and Nico Williams once again expected to be unavailable, with Victor Munoz also not yet absolutely fully-fit himself.
Alex Baena has thrived in the left-wing role in their absence with Luis de la Fuente finding the formula of a 4-2-3-1 shape with Dani Olmo playing in attacking midfield ahead of Pedri and Rodri.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Simon; Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal
Unavailable:
Questionable: Munoz (Fitness), Pino (Injured), Williams (Injured)
Belgium team news: Big calls by Garcia
Further team news will appear here closer to the match after pre-match press conferences…
Rudi Garcia made some big calls in the second half against Senegal with key men Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku replaced and they were then left on the bench against the USA, with De Bruyne an unused substitute in Seattle.
There is now no need for the Belgians to make major changes having landed on a formula. Zeno Debast returned to the bench after his fitness concerns but a change in midfield is required with Amadou Onana suffering an ACL injury.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Castagne, Ngoy, Mechele, De Cuyper; Vanaken, Raskin; Lukebakio, Tielemans, Trossard; De Ketelaere
Unavailable: Onana (Injured)
Questionable:
Spain’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Marc Cucurella ($5.1m) – Defender
Lamine Yamal ($10.0m) – Midfielder
Mikel Oyarzabal ($8.1m) – Forward
Matchday 6 captain pick: Mikel Oyarzabal
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Mikel Oyarzabal, Lamine Yamal, Rodri
Free kicks: Pedri, Lamine Yamal
Corners: Lamine Yamal, Pedri
Belgium’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Leandro Trossard ($6.6m) – Midfielder
Youri Tielemans ($6.1m) – Midfielder
Romelu Lukaku ($7.4m) – Forward
Matchday 6 captain pick: Leandro Trossard
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Youri Tielemans
Free kicks: Youri Tielemans, Kevin De Bruyne
Corners: Youri Tielemans. Kevin De Bruyne
Key stats
- Spain and Belgium have met twice at the FIFA World Cup. Belgium edged their only knockout‑stage encounter, winning 5-4 on penalties in the 1986 quarter‑finals after a 1-1 draw, while Spain prevailed four years later at Italia ’90 with a 2-1 victory in the group stage.
- Spain are undefeated in their last 11 matches against Belgium (W9 D2), winning all of the last five, four of them FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
- Spain have reached the quarter‑finals for the first time since 2010, when they went on to win the competition after defeating Paraguay 1-0 in the last eight. That is the only Spanish victory in five World Cup quarter-final ties.
- Spain are unbeaten in regular time in their last 35 matches (W26 D9) in a run stretching back to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Colombia in a friendly in London on 22 March 2024.
- Spain are the only team at the 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup yet to concede a single goal.
- Spain have not conceded a single first-half goal in their last nine FIFA World Cup matches.
- Spain have kept a clean sheet in their last six World Cup matches, moving clear of the previous competition record set by Italy (1990) and Switzerland (2006-2010).
- Unai Simón has now gone 609 minutes without conceding in FIFA World Cup action, extending his record in the tournament’s history.
- Belgium are undefeated in 18 fixtures (W12 D6) since a 3-1 loss to Ukraine in the UEFA Nations League in March last year.
- Belgium have lost only two of their last 15 FIFA World Cup matches (W10 D3).
- Belgium have won six of their last eight knockout-phase matches at the World Cup, losing in the other two.
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Spain vs Belgium prediction
Spain upped the pace of their game when they needed to against Saudi Arabia and Austria but there were still moments of an unconvincing nature that were replicated in their more underwhelming performances against Cabo Verde, Uruguay and Portugal.
Belgium were average in their opening couple of games but they have now scored 12 goals in three matches since stuttering to draws against Egypt and IR Iran in their first two group stage matches.
Spain are yet to concede in this tournament but they haven’t really been tested in that regard. Belgium aren’t of the same standard as their so-called ‘golden generation’ but they will fancy themselves to get at the Spanish with their newfound confidence, albeit the European champions remain favourites.
Spain vs Belgium betting tip: Spain to win & both teams to score
