Belgium vs Egypt - prediction, team news, lineups | World Cup 2026

In what could beryllium the defining lucifer of Group G, Belgium volition fastener horns with Egypt successful their opening World Cup 2026 clash at Seattle Stadium connected Monday.

Belgium mightiness person ambitions of winning the contention fixed they are ranked ninth by FIFA, whereas opponents Egypt are ranked 29th and volition beryllium competing successful conscionable their 4th ever World Cup finals.

Match preview

Having suffered an embarrassing exit successful the radical stages of the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Rudi Garcia's Belgium volition beryllium looking to yet present connected the promises of the country's declining aureate generation.

Les Diables Rouges won their archetypal radical crippled of that tourney 1-0 against Canada, but they failed to people against either Croatia or Morocco, taking conscionable 4 points and finishing third.

Their exit 4 years agone was peculiarly achy fixed Croatia were an ageing side, portion Morocco were a squad that had not won a crippled successful the contention since 1998.

Despite boasting immoderate of the World's champion talents implicit the past decade, the furthest the squad reached successful the Euros was the quarter-finals, portion they failed to scope the last of immoderate of the past 3 World Cups.

Qualification for this summer's tourney was comparatively straightforward fixed the Red Devils topped their radical with 18 points from a imaginable 24, scoring 29 goals and conceding connected 7 occasions.

Garcia has overseen 4 friendlies since his broadside qualified for the World Cup, and though those clashes should not beryllium utilized to marque sweeping judgements astir the nation's level, it was encouraging to spot them triumph 3 times and get the amended of the USA, Croatia and Tunisia.

The Red Devils netted 13 goals and conceded 3 times successful those friendlies, keeping cleanable sheets successful their 2 astir caller outings.

Egypt are embarking connected their 2nd World Cup successful 3 attempts, and that is simply a important accomplishment considering they had lone doubly antecedently qualified for the tournament.

The Pharaohs volition anticipation for a stronger showing than successful 2018, erstwhile they finished past successful their radical with zero points, losing against Uruguay, Russia and Saudi Arabia.

Qualification for the 2026 World Cup was uncomplicated, with the federation having topped their CAF radical with 26 points, avoiding decision successful their 10 qualifying matches.

Ahead of their clash with Belgium, it would beryllium understandable if Egypt were carrying immoderate of the scars of their AFCON 2025 exit astatine the hands of Senegal successful the semi-finals, a tourney that they past won successful 2010.

Since that January defeat, Manager Hossam Hassan has guided his squad to 2 losses, 2 triumphs and 1 stalemate, a play successful which they scored six times and conceded twice,

Egypt's clash with Belgium connected Monday volition beryllium their 5th meeting, and they boast a grounds of 2 wins, 1 gully and conscionable 1 decision against the Red Devils, with their astir caller contention a 2-1 triumph for the Pharaohs successful November 2022.

Belgium signifier (all competitions):

Egypt signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Belgium shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois tin beryllium pencilled into the XI, and the Real Madrid prima whitethorn beryllium protected by centre-backs Arthur Theate and Nathan Ngoy.

Youri Tielemans enjoyed an fantabulous play successful midfield for Aston Villa, and helium volition astir surely beryllium trusted successful the mediate of the transportation adjacent to nine teammate Amadou Onana.

Kevin De Bruyne's performances for Napoli successful 2025-26 were mixed, but helium volition inactive beryllium stationed successful the starting lineup arsenic an attacking midfielder.

Premier League wingers Leandro Trossard and Jeremy Doku volition apt flank fig nine Romelu Lukaku.

Egypt talisman Mohamed Salah was struggling with a hamstring wounded towards the extremity of the 2025-26 play with Liverpool, and portion helium is capable to play connected Monday, helium is reportedly inactive not afloat fit.

The 33-year-old whitethorn truthful not beryllium astatine his astir mobile, truthful helium volition request different forwards like Trezeguet, Omar Marmoush and Zizo to bash his moving for him.

In the backline, expect to spot a cardinal pairing of Yasser Ibrahim and Ramy Rabia up of goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy.

Midfielder Mohanad Lashin could gain his 24th cap, and helium whitethorn play alongside Hamdy Fathy successful a treble pivot.

Belgium imaginable starting lineup:

Courtois; Meunier, Ngoy, Theate, De Cuyper; Onana, Tielemans; Trossard, De Bruyne, Doku; Lukaku

Egypt imaginable starting lineup:

El Shenawy; Hany, Ibrahim, Rabia, Fatouh; Lashin, Fathy; Salah, Trezeguet, Zizo; Marmoush

We say: Belgium 1-1 Egypt

There is nary uncertainty that Belgium person a much talented roster than their opponents, though it is intolerable to disregard their past of underperformance astatine large tournaments.

Perhaps the quality betwixt 1 constituent and zero for Egypt volition beryllium the fittingness of Salah, but the information that the Pharaohs cannot beryllium ruled retired makes this crippled a fascinating fixture for those seeking the best World Cup betting sites.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.