Belgium vs Senegal - prediction, team news, lineups

Group winners Belgium look a stern trial erstwhile Senegal get astatine the Seattle Stadium connected Wednesday evening successful the circular of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Rudi Garcia’s broadside recovered from a dilatory commencement to apical their radical but person shown inconsistency throughout, portion the Lions of Teranga travel done arsenic 1 of the champion third-placed sides.

Match preview

Belgium get successful the knockout rounds arsenic radical winners with 5 points, six goals scored, and 2 conceded, though their way done the radical signifier was acold from convincing and volition person offered encouragement to Senegal’s camp.

Garcia’s broadside were held to a 1-1 gully against Egypt successful their opening fixture earlier being pegged to a goalless outing against Iran - results that raised superior questions astir their tourney credentials.

A commanding 5-0 dismantling of New Zealand successful the last radical crippled provided immoderate much-needed alleviation and momentum they question to transportation into the knockout stage. 

Ranked ninth successful the satellite by FIFA, Belgium transportation genuine pedigree into this knockout tie. Their best-ever World Cup decorativeness came successful 2018, erstwhile they claimed 3rd place, though that aureate procreation suffered a daze group-stage exit successful 2022.

A triumph implicit Senegal and a spot successful the circular of 16 would correspond a important measurement towards the benignant of heavy tally that would specify this Belgium generation, and Garcia volition cognize that performances indispensable amended significantly.

Senegal’s radical stage, meanwhile, was uneven but yet productive - back-to-back defeats to France and Norway near Pape Thiaw’s broadside needing a effect successful their last fixture.

They delivered emphatically - a 5-0 triumph implicit Iraq not lone secured their progression but made past arsenic the archetypal clip an African federation had scored 5 goals successful a azygous World Cup match.

The Lions of Teranga beforehand arsenic 1 of the champion third-placed sides and volition beryllium driven by the tendency to lucifer and past surpass their best-ever World Cup finish, the quarter-final quality achieved astatine the 2002 tourney successful South Korea and Japan, a signifier they failed to scope successful 2022 aft a round-of-16 decision to England.

Of the 9 African nations that reached the circular of 32, South Africa person already been eliminated, and Senegal transportation the value of the continent’s hopes arsenic they look to go the past African broadside lasting heavy into this tournament.

Defensively, Senegal’s inclination to concede volition beryllium tested heavy by a Belgium broadside that, erstwhile clicking, possesses immoderate of the astir originative midfield endowment successful the tournament.

Wednesday’s lucifer volition beryllium the first-ever gathering betwixt these 2 nations astatine immoderate level, adding a genuinely historical magnitude to what promises to beryllium a compelling knockout fixture.

Belgium World Cup form:

DDW

Belgium signifier (all competitions):

DWWDDW

Senegal World Cup form:  

LLW

Senegal signifier (all competitions):

WLDLLW

Team News

Belgium person a near-full squad disposable for Wednesday’s match, with Thibaut Courtois - who has 112 caps to his sanction - the undisputed starter successful goal.

Zeno Debast remains a uncertainty with a limb injury, though the defender participated successful his archetypal grooming league of the tourney connected Sunday and could yet beryllium passed acceptable earlier the match.

Timothy Castagne and Maxim De Cuyper are expected to capable the full-back roles, with Arthur Theate apt to commencement successful cardinal defence.

Leandro Trossard leads the tourney scoring charts for Belgium with 2 goals, portion Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Saelemaekers person each contributed 1 - a steadfast dispersed of attacking menace that volition interest Senegal’s backline.

Senegal look a important goalkeeping interest up of kick-off, with Edouard Mendy having sustained a genu wounded during the 2nd radical crippled against Norway. 

The goalkeeper has since near the Senegal campy to question to his nine Al-Ahli successful Saudi Arabia for further aesculapian assessment, leaving his information successful superior doubt.

Kalidou Koulibaly could again driblet to the seat aft an uncertain show against Norway, with Abdoulaye Seck having impressed erstwhile fixed the accidental against Iraq.

Sarr is expected to pb the Senegal attack, having been their standout performer successful the radical stage, with Mane providing the acquisition and extremity menace that marque the Lions of Teranga unsafe careless of their radical signifier form.

Belgium imaginable starting lineup:

Courtois; Castagne, Theate, Mechele, De Cuyper; Vanaken, Tielemans; Trossard, De Bruyne, Doku; De Ketelaere

Senegal imaginable starting lineup:

Diaw; Jakobs, Seck, Niakhate, Diatta; Camara, Gueye, Diarra; Mane, Jackson, Sarr

We say: Belgium 2-0 Senegal

Belgium’s superior firepower crossed the transportation should yet beryllium the difference, with De Bruyne pulling the strings successful midfield, Sarr and Mane apt to beryllium the cardinal threats Courtois and his defence indispensable woody with throughout.

Senegal’s antiaircraft fragility exposed against some France and Norway is simply a interest that Belgium’s originative midfield is well-equipped to exploit, and contempt the Lions of Teranga showing they tin people goals successful their past game, Garcia’s broadside are backed to borderline a competitory lucifer and beforehand to the circular of 16.

Our World Cup 2026 betting guide has each of the latest accusation connected the match.

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