SEATTLE, United States — Belgium booked their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a commanding 4-1 victory over co-hosts the United States, ending the Americans’ impressive tournament run in front of a disappointed home crowd in Seattle.
Belgium produced a clinical display to outclass Mauricio Pochettino’s side, with Charles De Ketelaere scoring twice and providing an assist in a man-of-the-match performance that propelled the Red Devils into the last eight, where they will face Spain.
The visitors struck early when De Ketelaere opened the scoring in the ninth minute. The United States responded in the 31st minute through Malik Tillman, whose deflected free kick briefly restored parity, but Belgium regained the lead just over a minute later when De Ketelaere headed home his second of the night.
Belgium tightened their grip on the contest in the second half after a costly mistake by U.S. goalkeeper Matt Freese allowed Hans Vanaken to score into an empty net in the 57th minute. Veteran striker Romelu Lukaku completed the rout with a stoppage-time goal to seal an emphatic victory.
The match had been overshadowed by controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun, whose one-match suspension was lifted by FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee after he received a red card in the previous round against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The decision allowed the striker to feature against Belgium, but he was unable to influence the outcome as the Red Devils dominated proceedings.
Despite the heavy defeat, the United States can reflect on a tournament that showed signs of progress. The co-hosts advanced from the group stage and secured a Round of 32 victory before reaching the knockout stages, raising expectations that the team could mount a deep run on home soil.
After the match, U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino admitted his side had fallen short against a superior opponent.
“We were not good enough,” Pochettino told reporters, adding that Belgium deserved the victory and dismissing suggestions that the Balogun controversy had affected his team’s performance.
Belgium’s victory also extended their recent dominance over the United States, with the Americans now having lost seven consecutive meetings against the European side. The result means all three 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosts—the United States, Canada and Mexico—have now been eliminated from the tournament.
Belgium will now turn their attention to a quarter-final showdown against Spain as they continue their pursuit of a first FIFA World Cup title.
