World Cup 2026 quarter final: Spain vs Belgium official line-ups
Quick summary
Official starting line-ups have been announced for the World Cup 2026 quarter final between Spain and Belgium.
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Attributed to original sourceAtalanta’s Charles De Ketelaere and Napoli’s Kevin De Bruyne start for Belgium against Spain in the World Cup quarter-final, as Romelu Lukaku is only fit for the bench.
It kicks off in Los Angeles at 20.00 UK time (21.00 CEST).
The winners of this tie will go on to face tournament favourites France in the semi-final.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – JULY 01: Romelu Lukaku #9 of Belgium reacts after scoring the team’s first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round Of 32 match between Belgium and Senegal at Seattle Stadium on July 01, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images) Belgium have several Serie A players involved and they were decisive in thumping co-hosts USA 4-1 in the last game.
De Ketelaere impressed as a False 9 with two goals, while Lukaku scored again when coming off the bench , as he is still not fully fit after missing most of Napoli’s season through injury.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – JULY 06: Charles De Ketelaere #17 of Belgium heads to score the team’s second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between USA and Belgium at Seattle Stadium on July 06, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images) The Atalanta man therefore starts upfront once more, with Lukaku ready to come on later, but the change is De Bruyne returning to the starting XI.
The competition is over for Amadou Onana, who tore the cruciate ligament in his knee and will be out of action for several months.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – JULY 06: Charles De Ketelaere #17 of Belgium applauds fans after the 4-1 victory during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between USA and Belgium at Seattle Stadium on July 06, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) Spain are unbeaten against Belgium since the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals, which they lost in a penalty shoot-out.
They left it late to squeeze past Portugal with a last-gasp goal from Mikel Merino in the Round of 16.
Coach Luis de la Fuente sticks with almost the same starting XI, including centre-forward Mikel Oyarzabal, who has scored four goals this tournament.
Lamine Yamal hasn’t quite delivered on his promise yet at the World Cup, but he plays with Dani Olmo and Alex Baena in support.
Nico Williams returns for a spot on the bench after his injury problems, but the change is ex-Napoli midfielder Fabian Ruiz preferred to Pedri.
Spain vs. Belgium line-ups Spain: Unai Simon; Porro, Cubarsì, Laporte, Cucurella; Fabian Ruiz, Rodri, Olmo; Yamal, Oyarzabal, Baena
Belgium: Courtois; Castagne, Ngoy, Mechele, De Cuyper; De Bruyne, Raskin; Doku, Tielemans, Trossard; De Ketelaere
10-07-2026 20:00
Quarterfinal
SoFi Stadium
Spain
Belgium
vs
Season Analytics
Spain
Positions
Belgium
SEASON TOTAL ESP HOME 2 1 0 4 1 0 Last matches 06-07-2026
Portugal
W
0 - 1
02-07-2026
Austria
W
3 - 0
27-06-2026
Uruguay
W
0 - 1
21-06-2026
Saudi Arabia
W
4 - 0
15-06-2026
Cape Verde
D
0 - 0
02-07-2026
Austria
W
3 - 0
21-06-2026
Saudi Arabia
W
4 - 0
15-06-2026
Cape Verde
D
0 - 0
SEASON TOTAL BEL AWAY 2 0 0 3 2 0 Last matches
1 - 4
W
USA
07-07-2026
3 - 2
W
Senegal
01-07-2026
1 - 5
W
New Zealand
27-06-2026
0 - 0
D
Iran
21-06-2026
1 - 1
D
Egypt
15-06-2026
1 - 4
W
USA
07-07-2026
1 - 5
W
New Zealand
27-06-2026
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What happened
The official team sheets for the World Cup 2026 quarter final clash between Spain and Belgium have been released ahead of kick-off. This is a high-stakes knockout fixture, with the winner advancing to the semi-finals. Both teams' starting XIs and bench players have been confirmed, providing crucial information for match analysis and prediction. The line-ups reveal each manager's tactical approach for this decisive encounter.
Chance analysis
Line-up announcements for a World Cup quarterfinal carry significant predictive value, as they reveal the tactical intentions of both managers and confirm the availability of key players. The choices in formation, personnel, and bench composition can signal whether a team is prioritizing attacking thrust, defensive solidity, or game-changing options from the bench. For prediction systems, knowing the exact XI — rather than rumored or expected line-ups — materially shifts the reliability of any pre-match model.
Official line-ups provide clarity on team selection and tactical setup for the Spain vs Belgium quarterfinal, directly informing pre-match expectations and prediction accuracy.
Use the confirmed XIs as direct inputs for match simulation; flag any notable absences, position changes, or tactical surprises from the announced line-ups.