United States v Belgium: 2026 World Cup Prediction

What on earth goes through your mind when you’re playing in a World Cup and, after 84 minutes, you’re 0–2 down? You can’t help but think about being knocked out. And yet a miracle unfolded thanks to a goal from substitute Romelu Lukaku and two goals from captain Youri Tielemans. Can the Red Devils also beat the USA, the host nation that has performed superbly so far? We’ll tell you more about this match and treat you to our USA v Belgium prediction.

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USA v Belgium preview

Who will we see in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup? Will it be the United States, making football even bigger in the land of the American Dream? Or will it be the Belgians who go through to the next round? Here’s a brief look at both countries.

Current Form & Team News

USA

After the USA’s opening match against Paraguay, there wasn’t a soul who wasn’t excited about Team USA. Mauricio Pochettino’s side play attractive football, are solid at the back and have several players capable of scoring. The standout player is Folarin Balogun, as the AS Monaco striker has already scored three times in the tournament. Unfortunately for the Americans, the striker is suspended for the match against Belgium. He was shown a red card for a very clumsy foul. Will Ricardo Pepi, the PSV striker, make up for his absence?

Belgium

Belgium is no longer the team of the ‘golden generation’. Over the past fifteen years, Belgium has been praised on numerous occasions and even tipped as a contender for the European Championship or World Cup. At the 2026 World Cup, they will, at best, be among the outsiders, even though, with players such as Trossard, Doku, Tielemans, Lukaku and De Bruyne, they still have a number of stars who are currently, or have previously, played in the Premier League.

Have Trossard and Tielemans put their row during the match against Senegal behind them? And is the atmosphere tense as a result? We’re curious to see who’ll be in the starting line-up, especially as national team manager Rudi Garcia isn’t afraid to make bold decisions. This is particularly interesting because Belgium only really got going once key players Jeremy Doku and Kevin de Bruyne were taken off.

Head-to-Head

The USA and Belgium have faced each other seven times in the past, with Belgium winning five of those matches. The Americans have won just once, whilst one match ended in a draw. Interestingly, the two sides played each other as recently as March, with Belgium winning by a resounding 5–2. Will this provide the confidence needed for the upcoming round of 16?

Expected line-ups

USA (4-3-3):

Freese, Ream, Richards, Freeman, Robinson, Tillman, Adams, McKennie, Dest, Pulisic, Pepi

Belgium (4-3-3):

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

USA v Belgium betting tips

Betting tip 1: Over 2.5 goals

We’re really looking forward to these matches. Especially as Belgium’s last two matches were a real treat to watch. With their 5–1 victory over New Zealand and their 3–2 win against Senegal still fresh in our minds, we can’t ignore the fact that goals come easily for the Belgians. Both defensively and offensively, that is. We’re therefore backing over 2.5 goals in the USA v Belgium match. This gives you odds of 1.64.

Betting tip 2: Over 0.5 shots on target by Youri Tielemans

Following his key role against Senegal, all eyes are naturally on Youri Tielemans. The Aston Villa midfielder has scored twice and is currently enjoying an excellent tournament. We think the Belgian captain will also play a key role against the USA and will have at least one shot on target. If Youri Tielemans has more than 0.5 shots on target, you’ll get odds of 2.28.

Prediction: USA v Belgium

Final score: USA 2–1 Belgium
We think home advantage will make the difference. Never before has the US been so popular in the country, and we have seen time and again that a bit of a helping hand is welcome for everyone. We therefore believe they will beat Belgium – who are not yet in top form – by a narrow 2–1 margin.