2026 World Cup: What to know as Belgium, Egypt kick off play in Seattle

It's finally time. After four days of watching the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup ignite a soccer frenzy across North America, Seattle finally gets to take its turn in the spotlight.

At noon Monday, Seattle Stadium will host the first game of Group G as Belgium, the No. 9 team in the world according to the FIFA rankings, faces Egypt, the seven-time CAF African Cup of Nations champions.

This will be the fifth meeting between the two nations, but the first in true competition as their previous four games have all been friendly exhibitions.

Belgium vs. Egypt

When: Noon, Monday

Where: Seattle Stadium

TV: Fox Derek Rae (play-by-play), Rob Green (color)

Most recent matchup: Egypt won the most recent contest between the two countries, a 2-1 victory at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City, Kuwait, before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The Pharaohs leveraged first-half goals from striker Mostafa Mohamed and Mahmoud Trézéguet Hassan to hold off a late comeback by the Red Devils following Loïs Openda's 76th-minute goal.

Egypt holds a 3-1-0 advantage against Belgium in the four meetings.

Latest line (via DraftKings): Belgium -0.5. Total 2.5

Key injuries: Belgium's only recent absence has been center back Zeno Debast (leg), who was injured in May while practicing with his club, Sporting Lisbon. Winger Jérémy Doku will likely be available despite leaving practice early Tuesday because of a reported difficulty breathing.

Egypt is missing one contributor from its fourth-place finish at the 2025 AFCON, after fullback Mohamed Hamdy tore his anterior cruciate ligament. Mohamed Salah, whose club season was derailed by a late hamstring injury, played June 6 in Egypt's most recent game, a 2-1 defeat against Brazil.

Recent form: The Red Devils are unbeaten in their past 13 games. Coach Rudi Garcia's squad has four wins in its past five outings. Since losing the third-place AFCON game on penalties against Nigeria in January, Egypt has won twice, drawn once and lost. Coach Hossam Hassan's best result was arguably a scoreless draw against Spain in March.

The big story

Belgium enters the World Cup looking to rebound after a trio of disappointing tournaments, while the end of its greatest generation of football talent looms.

The Red Devils were on the cusp of greatness in 2018, when a squad led by attacking midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, striker Romelu Lukaku and winger Eden Hazard reached the World Cup semifinals for the first time since 1986. Belgium lost to the eventual champions, France, but seemed set for a bright future.

Instead, Belgium struggled, with a quarterfinal exit at the 2020 UEFA European Championship and a Round of 16 departure four years later during the 2024 Euros.

The Red Devils' biggest disappointment came in Qatar. Belgium entered the 2022 World Cup ranked No. 2 in the world. It failed to get out of group play. Only six players from the team's 2018 squad were called up for the 2026 World Cup.

Egypt might also be preparing for the last World Cup for one of its most iconic players. In March, Mohamed Salah announced his departure from longtime club Liverpool. While he hasn't made any intentions of retiring from international duty known, Salah will be 37 in 2030, when the next World Cup occurs.

Salah, 33, has been critical to Egypt's resurgence. He led the Pharaohs back to AFCON in 2017 after a three-tournament absence and helped end a 28-year World Cup drought in 2018.

But Salah has come up short of tournament success. Egypt was the runner-up for the AFCON in 2017 and 2021. The Pharaohs haven't won the continent's most prestigious trophy since 2010.

Salah's World Cup luck has been worse. In 2018, he was limited because of a separated shoulder. Egypt failed to reach the 2022 World Cup after losing to Senegal on penalties during the final round of qualifying.

Key matchup

Belgium winger Jérémy Doku vs. Egypt right back Mohamed Hany

Doku's return to training is crucial for Belgium, which will be relying heavily upon the 24-year-old winger to capture some of the strong form that helped Manchester City mount a late but ultimately unsuccessful title charge.

If deployed on the left wing, Doku will face Mohamed Hany, the likely replacement at right back for the injured Hamdy. Hany, a 30-year-old fullback who's spent his entire club career at Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly, has 42 international appearances since 2016.

Key player

Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne

De Bruyne's résumé speaks for itself. A six-time English Premier League champion. A Belgian league champion. A German Cup winner.

But De Bruyne's career is beginning to slow. The 34-year-old midfielder left Manchester City before the 2025-26 season, signing with Napoli. He scored five league goals but was limited to just 18 appearances because of a hamstring injury. Belgium will need De Bruyne to turn back the clock if it wants to have a successful run in the tournament.

Three other things to watch

Are the strikers in form?

The Red Devils and the Pharaohs have established strikers playing at the highest levels in Europe. The 33-year-old Lukaku is Belgium's all-time leading scorer with 90 goals in 126 appearances. Egypt boasts 27-year-old Omar Marmoush, who parlayed a strong start to the 2024-25 season at German club Eintracht Frankfurt into a big midseason move to Manchester City.

But Lukaku and Marmoush are coming off difficult 2025-26 campaigns. Lukaku dealt with a thigh injury throughout the past season at Napoli. He made just five league appearances and scored once.

Marmoush, stuck behind star forward Erling Haaland, played 21 times in the English Premier League, with 13 of his appearances coming off the bench. He scored just three league goals.

Questions in the heart of defense

Belgium's 2018 squad had one of the world's best defenses, anchored by center backs Toby Alderweireld, Vincent Kompany and Jan Vertonghen. Belgium conceded just six goals during seven games in Russia.

But Alderweireld, Kompany and Vertonghen retired. And Belgium will be relying on a relatively untested group against Egypt.

Eintracht Frankfurt's Arthur Theate, with 33 Belgian appearances, is the most experienced center back on Belgium's roster. Mechele, 33, has made just nine appearances for the Red Devils and spent his entire club career in Belgium. Ngoy, 23, and AC Milan's Koni De Winter, 24, have made four and eight appearances, respectively.

Veteran goalkeepers square off

Belgium possesses a significant insurance policy in goal. Thibaut Courtois, 34, has been one of the world's best goalkeepers for the past decade after trophy-laden stints with Atlético Madrid, Chelsea and Real Madrid.

But Egypt has an established veteran of its own. Mohamed El Shenawy made three saves in Egypt's opening game of the 2018 World Cup against Uruguay and was named man of the match despite a 1-0 loss after an 89th-minute goal. El Shenawy, 37, has accumulated 77 national team appearances as Egypt's undisputed No. 1.

Prediction

Belgium 2, Egypt 1

Salah has always been the type of talent that can win a game on his own, and the Pharaohs will mount a serious challenge. But the Red Devils have an edge in overall talent, probably enough to get Belgium the win.

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