Heading into the 2026 World Cup, Belgium had been widely expected to top Group G, with Iran, New Zealand and Egypt battling for second place.
However, a surprise 1–1 draw with Egypt in its opening match—combined with a disappointing performance that saw it register just three shots on target—has cast doubt over those expectations. As a result, its meeting with Iran is anything but a formality.
Iran arrives off the back of a spirited 2–2 draw with New Zealand and, with everything still to play for, will believe it can take advantage of a vulnerable Belgian side and pull off another upset. That will be especially true if the right-sided duo of Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebi—both of whom scored in the opener—can reproduce their performances.
