World Cup round-of-32 elimination matchup in Seattle now set
Belgium is coming back to their adopted, American home.
Back to Seattle to play in the World Cup’s initial elimination round — and to then possibly play the United States in Seattle, too.
Belgium won its group and will play dangerous Senegal in the round of 32 Wednesday at 1 p.m. inside Lumen Field, which FIFA wants called “Seattle Stadium.”
It’s an intriguing match-up: a European power with proven, though aging stars against a challenging African side that employs speed.
If the favored Belgians win that match, the “Red Devils” will advance to the round of 16 in Seattle July 6. The winner of Belgium-Senegal will play the winner of the U.S.-Bosnia and Herzegovina match in Seattle July 6 in the round of 16.
The Americans and Bosnians play Wednesday evening in a round-of-32 match in Santa Clara, California. That U.S.-Bosnia and Herzegovina match is the World Cup game after Belgium-Senegal, at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Belgium routed New Zealand 5-1 Friday night. That and Egypt’s 1-1 draw with Iran Friday night in Seattle clinched a wild Group G for Belgium.
Belgium has been training at the Sounders’ facility at the old Longacres Racecourse in Renton and based in the Puget Sound region this month throughout the start of the world’s largest sports event. Belgium played its initial group-stage match in Seattle June 15, a 1-1 draw with Egypt.
The Red Devils were ranked 10th in the world by FIFA entering this World Cup. They are one of the most experienced sides in the tournament. They have proven veterans Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, Thomas Meunier, Axel Witsel and Romelu Lukaku.
De Bruyne is 34. Courtois, the Belgian goalkeeper, is also 34. So is Meunier defending at outside back. Witsel in the midfield is 37.
Lukaku is 33. The veteran striker is Belgium’s all-time leading scorer. He scored Belgium’s goal in the draw with Egypt in Seattle to begin the tournament this month. Lukaku scored Friday against New Zealand to also become his country’s all-time leader in World Cup goals with six.
Lukaku has been beset by injuries for much of the last year while with his club team Napoli in Italy’s Serie A.
Most see this as Belgium’s last chance to win a World Cup with this group of aging stars.
Senegal finished third in a rugged group behind tournament-favorite France plus Norway. Senegal won 5-0 over Iraq in its final group-stage match. That gave the “Les Lions de la Teranga” a goal differential good enough to become one of the eight third-place teams to advance.
The World Cup is 48 teams this year, for the first time. This week’s knockout round of 32 teams is how many teams that played in group stages to begin previous World Cups.
Senegal’s star player in its all-time leading scorer, 34-year-old Sadio Mane. His six-year run with Liverpool of the English Premier League ended in 2022. Mane then played two seasons for Bayern Munich in Germany’s Bundesliga. He now plays for the Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr.
He and his Senegalese teammates have been on the opposite, East Coast from Belgium for this tournament. Their U.S. training base has been at Rutgers University and have played their matches in nearby East Rutherford, New Jersey (twice), and Toronto.
This story was originally published June 27, 2026 at 7:41 PM.
