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Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington
Wednesday, 1 July 2026 | 21:00 BST
Belgium face Senegal at Lumen Field on Wednesday night as the round of 32 in this World Cup gets under way, with kick off set for 21:00 BST.
Rudi Garcia's side go into the tie unbeaten in 16 matches and as the form team in this fixture, while Pape Thiaw's Senegal arrive having won just one of their last five.
Preview: Belgium take on Senegal in the round of 32
Belgium arrive in Seattle unbeaten in 16 matches, a run that takes in victories over Liechtenstein, the United States, Croatia, Tunisia and New Zealand alongside draws against Mexico, Egypt and Iran.
Their attack has carried that run, with Garcia's side scoring in seven of those eight matches, including a five-goal haul away to New Zealand and another five at home to Tunisia.
Kevin De Bruyne continues to operate as the side's creative focal point, his 122 caps and 38 international goals underlining the influence he still carries in this squad at the age of 35.
Romelu Lukaku leads the line as vice-captain, having scored 91 goals in 129 appearances for the national team across a long international career.
Defensively, Belgium have been difficult to break down on this run, conceding only twice in their last five matches and keeping three clean sheets in that period.
The one injury concern surrounds Zeno Debast, covered in the team news section below, though Nathan Ngoy's place in the predicted back four offers a ready replacement.
Senegal's route into this round has been considerably less smooth, with just one win from their last five matches and defeats to the United States, France and Norway among them.
Thiaw's side did beat Iraq 5-0 in their final group game, a result that showed the attacking talent still available to them even after that difficult run.
That run also includes the Africa Cup of Nations final, which Senegal lost 3-0 to Morocco after a result on the pitch was overturned by a post-match disciplinary ruling.
Sadio Mane remains the squad's senior figure in attack, his 55 goals in 131 caps making him by some distance the most prolific player in this Senegal group.
Senegal have also struggled at the back on this run, conceding nine goals in their last five matches, more than four times Belgium's total of two over the same period.
Idrissa Gueye's continued involvement in central midfield, now 134 caps into a long international career, gives Thiaw a base of experience to lean on against a settled Belgium side.
Team news: Belgium and Senegal injury news
Belgium
Zeno Debast is the only confirmed absentee in the squad available to Garcia, with the Sporting CP defender out of contention for the round of 32 tie.
His absence points to a route into the starting line-up for Nathan Ngoy, paired alongside Brandon Mechele in the predicted back four below.
Beyond that change, Garcia has a near full-strength squad to pick from, with Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Thibaut Courtois all available for selection.
Senegal
Edouard Mendy carries a doubt heading into the round of 32, with his fitness listed as questionable ahead of the trip to Seattle.
Mory Diaw looks the contingency option in goal if Mendy does not recover in time, and is named as the starting goalkeeper in the predicted lineup below.
Idrissa Gueye, Lamine Camara and Pape Gueye all remain available in central midfield, giving Thiaw a settled core to work with despite the side's recent defensive issues.
Belgium vs Senegal predicted lineups
Predicted Belgium XI (4-2-3-1):
Belgium
Predicted Senegal XI (4-3-3):
Senegal
Head to head: Belgium and Senegal in the World Cup
Belgium and Senegal have never met in a major international fixture, leaving Wednesday's round of 32 tie at Lumen Field as a first competitive meeting between the two nations.
Both sides do arrive with World Cup pedigree of their own, Belgium having reached the semi-finals in 2018 and Senegal having advanced to the round of sixteen in 2022 before defeat to England.
With no shared history to draw on, current form and squad depth carry the full weight of the assessment for this meeting.
Belgium's status as the form side, unbeaten in 16 matches, contrasts with Senegal's mixed run into the tournament, though that gap should not be overstated given the unpredictability of knockout football.
Our Belgium vs Senegal prediction and tips
NetBet price Belgium as warm favourites to advance, and our NetBet betting site review covers their full range of World Cup markets in more detail.
Those weighing up other options can browse our guide to new UK betting sites for operators also covering this fixture, or our best sites to bet on the World Cup page for prices across the rest of the knockout rounds.
First-time customers can also check NetBet's sports welcome offer before placing a bet on this tie.
- Goals: Belgium's attacking depth, led by Lukaku and De Bruyne, gives them the edge in front of goal.
- Defence: Belgium have conceded only twice in five matches, against nine for Senegal in the same span.
- Context: A first meeting between the sides removes any historical narrative, leaving form as the clearest guide.
Adam is a freelance sports journalist with a decade of experience in the industry. Football is his passion, although he also follows darts and many other sports.
Adam supports Arsenal and local club Wealdstone, made famous by the Wealdstone Raider, who he has interviewed. Adam also follows the women's teams and the England national side.