Spain v Belgium: World Cup 2026 quarter-final – live
Quick summary
The Guardian is providing live coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final between Spain and Belgium.
Full article
Attributed to original source⚽ Kick-off time: 12pm local/3pm EDT/8pm BST/5am AEST ⚽ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Email Billy
Hello and welcome to the second quarter-final of the 2026 World Cup. After dealing with the USA (and everything else) in the last 16, the last dregs of Belgium’s golden generation must now take on the unmovable object of this tournament. Spain are yet to concede a goal after five matches and have not come this far at the World Cup since they won the damn thing in 2010.
While the World Cup pedigree of Thibaut Courtois, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku is unquestionable – they beat Brazil in their last quarter-final – we are still yet to see Lamine Yamal’s real arrival on this stage. The Barcelona winger, who turns 19 on Monday, has registered a single goal and no assists at these finals and is perhaps the only world superstar yet to make his mark. Could today be his day?
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What happened
This is a live blog from The Guardian covering the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final clash between Spain and Belgium on July 10, 2026. Live blogs typically include minute-by-minute updates, lineup announcements, key incidents, goals, and tactical observations as the match unfolds. The World Cup 2026 is being held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. A quarter-final meeting between Spain and Belgium would be a high-profile fixture between two established European footballing nations.
Chance analysis
A World Cup quarter-final between Spain and Belgium is a marquee fixture with significant implications for the tournament bracket. Spain traditionally dominates possession with a technical midfield, while Belgium has historically been a counter-attacking threat. Reaching the semi-finals would represent a major achievement for either side and shapes the competitive landscape of the latter stages of the tournament.
The outcome of this quarter-final will determine one semi-finalist and significantly shape the World Cup 2026 final stages bracket.
Treat this as a high-stakes World Cup knockout match; Spain's technical superiority may be tested against Belgium's counter-attacking threat, with results directly affecting semi-final projections.