Spain face Belgium in 2026 World Cup quarterfinal on July 10 in the United States
Spain, European champions and the team with the tightest defensive record in the 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout rounds, meet Belgium in a quarterfinal on July 10 in the United States; Asharq Al-Awsat described Belgium's task as daunting given Spain's watertight defence, which has not been breached in the knockout stage
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Summary
Spain and Belgium meet in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal on July 10 in the United States. Spain enter as European champions with a defensive record that has not been breached in the knockout stage; Asharq Al-Awsat described Belgium's challenge as "daunting" given Spain's watertight backline. The match is the final quarterfinal of the 2026 bracket; France beat Morocco 2-0 in the previous quarterfinal on July 9.
Why it matters
Spain are among the tournament's strongest contenders and a win would send them to a World Cup semifinal on home-continent form. Belgium, with a generation of players from their so-called golden generation now in their late twenties and early thirties, face Spain with a defensive structure they have not yet found an answer to in this tournament.
What to watch
- The match result and who advances to the 2026 World Cup semifinal
- Whether Belgium can score against Spain's otherwise unbreached knockout-round defence
- Which teams from the other semi of the bracket (France or their opponent) Spain or Belgium would face in the semifinal