Belgium will take on Senegal in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 on Thursday (IST) at Seattle Stadium. Belgium head into the knockout fixture with an unbeaten record in the tournament and a fully fit squad, while Senegal will look to continue their campaign after securing a place in the last 32.
Belgium finished as Group G winners after opening the tournament with draws against Egypt and Iran before registering a 5-1 victory over New Zealand. Head coach Rudi Garcia said that being considered favourites offers no guarantees in knockout football.
Belgium conceded one goal each against Egypt and New Zealand during the group stage. Garcia also highlighted the importance of squad depth, stating that success depends on more than just the starting XI.
Romelu Lukaku made an immediate impact in Belgium's opening draw against Egypt by forcing an own goal shortly after coming off the bench in the second half.
The weather forecast for the match indicates cool and overcast conditions, which are expected to be more favourable than the hot conditions Belgium experienced against Egypt.
Belgium vs Senegal FIFA World Cup 2026 Match Time in India
The Belgium vs Senegal FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match will be played on Thursday, as per IST.
The match is scheduled to begin at 1:30 am IST .
Belgium vs Senegal Venue and Stadium Details
The Round of 32 fixture will be played at Seattle Stadium (traditionally known as Lumen Field).
The stadium has an official seating capacity of 68,740, which has been expanded to approximately 69,000 for FIFA World Cup 2026 matches.
The venue features a horseshoe-shaped, three-tier layout, including the 13-storey "Hawk's Nest" structure with a large scoreboard. Spectators are positioned close to the pitch, with sideline seats 52 feet away and end-zone seats 40 feet from the playing surface.
Seattle Stadium also includes 144 luxury suites, around 7,000 club seats, and approximately 1,400 to 1,578 accessible seats for spectators with disabilities and their companions.
Belgium vs Senegal TV Telecast and Online Streaming Platforms
The Belgium vs Senegal FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match will be telecast live on the United8 Sports channel in India.
Where to Watch Belgium vs Senegal Live Streaming in India
Live streaming of the Belgium vs Senegal FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match will be available on the ZEE5 app in India.
Belgium vs Senegal Predicted Playing XI and Team Lineup
Belgium squadGoalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Senne Lammens, Mike Penders.
Defenders: Timothy Castagne, Zeno Debast, Maxim De Cuyper, Koni De Winter, Brandon Mechele, Thomas Meunier, Nathan Ngoy, Joaquin Seys, Arthur Theate.
Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne, Amadou Onana, Nicolas Raskin, Youri Tielemans, Hans Vanaken, Axel Witsel.
Forwards: Charles De Ketelaere, Jeremy Doku, Matias Fernandez-Pardo, Romelu Lukaku, Dodi Lukebakio, Diego Moreira, Alexis Saelemaekers, Leandro Trossard.
Senegal squad
Goalkeepers: Mory Diaw, Yehvann Diouf, Édouard Mendy.
Defenders: Ilay Camara, Krépin Diatta, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Ismail Jakobs, Kalidou Koulibaly, Moustapha Mbow, Antoine Mendy, Moussa Niakhaté, Mamadou Sarr, Abdoulaye Seck.
Midfielders: Lamine Camara, Pathé Ciss, Habib Diarra, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Pape Gueye, Pape Matar Sarr, Bara Sapoko Ndiaye.
Attackers: Assane Diao, Bamba Dieng, Nicolas Jackson, Sadio Mané, Ibrahim Mbaye, Cherif Ndiaye, Iliman Ndiaye, Ismaïla Sarr.
Belgium vs Senegal Head-to-Head Record and Recent Team Form
Belgium and Senegal have never faced each other in an international football match. The Round of 32 fixture will be their first-ever meeting.
Belgium are unbeaten in their last five matches. Under Rudi Garcia, the Red Devils drew 1-1 with Egypt and 0-0 with Iran before defeating New Zealand 5-1 to top Group G.
Senegal have recorded one win and four defeats in their last five international matches. The Lions of Teranga lost to France and Norway in Group I before registering a 5-0 victory over Iraq to secure qualification for the knockout stage.
Key Players to Watch in Belgium vs Senegal FIFA World Cup 2026
Belgium will rely on Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Leandro Trossard, who have all contributed to the team's attacking performances during the tournament.
For Senegal, Sadio Mané and Ismaïla Sarr remain key threats in attack, while Kalidou Koulibaly will lead the defence against Belgium's forward line.
