Egypt face Belgium on Monday 15 June 2026 at Lumen Field in Seattle, kicking off their Group G campaign at the FIFA World Cup 2026. Kick-off is at 20:00 BST (22:00 KSA). Egypt are making only their second World Cup appearance since 2018, while Belgium are desperate to erase the memory of their early exit at Qatar 2022.
Group G Overview
Group G contains Egypt, Belgium, Iran and New Zealand. On paper Egypt and Belgium appear the likeliest qualifiers, but the opening round of fixtures has already shown that paper form counts for little in a 48-team World Cup.
Egypt: Salah, Marmoush and Defensive Resilience
Coach Hossam Hassan has built Egypt around a disciplined defensive structure and lethal counter-attacking pace. Mohamed Salah arrives in peak condition after an outstanding Liverpool season and will be Egypt's chief threat. Alongside him, Omar Marmoush adds a dangerous second dimension in the final third. Egypt beat Belgium 2-1 in a friendly in November 2022, proving they can trouble the Red Devils. (Al Jazeera)
Belgium: De Bruyne, Lukaku and a Star-Studded XI
Rudi Garcia fields arguably the most talented Belgian generation in history. Kevin De Bruyne orchestrates from deep, Romelu Lukaku leads the line, and Jérémy Doku provides electric pace on the wing. Thibaut Courtois is among the world's best goalkeepers. Belgium's preferred shape is a 4-3-3, potentially shifting to a 4-2-3-1 depending on Egypt's setup. (Goal)
Prediction
Analysts give Belgium a 60–64% win probability, Egypt 14–17%, and the draw 22–24%. Belgium's individual quality makes them firm favourites, but Salah's pace on the break could exploit any gaps. The most likely outcome is a narrow Belgium victory, though an Egyptian upset cannot be ruled out. (Opta Analyst)
Follow Malaab Al-An for live updates, starting line-ups and post-match analysis on Monday.