Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia has officially unveiled his 26-man squad traveling to North America for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Red Devils secured their ticket to the showpiece tournament in dominant fashion, cruising through their qualification campaign completely undefeated. Boasting a roster stacked with elite performers from Europe’s top five leagues, Belgium arrives across the Atlantic as one of the tournament’s most formidable outfits.
While the historic Golden Generation has officially drawn to a close, Garcia’s current crop of talent ensures the nation remains firmly among the pre-tournament favorites. The structural spine of the roster relies heavily on the surviving members of the legendary 2018 squad that captured a third-place finish in Russia.
Icons Axel Witsel, Thibaut Courtois, Kevin De Bruyne, and Romelu Lukaku bring centuries of collective international caps to the table. This veteran core will be perfectly complemented by the world-class Aston Villa partnership of team captain Youri Tielemans and Amadou Onana, who are set to anchor the midfield in a dynamic double-pivot.
In the attacking third, Premier League title rivals Leandro Trossard and Jeremy Doku will put domestic animosities aside to spearhead the wings. Giving Garcia additional tactical flexibility is Lille’s highly-rated 21-year-old winger Matias Fernandez-Pardo, who earns his place as the sole uncapped wildcard in the attacking ranks.
As with any major tournament selection, several high-profile stars suffered heartbreak. In a series of tactical calls that will spark intense media debate, established forwards Lois Openda and Michy Batshuayi have been completely omitted from the roster. Furthermore, Garcia elected to leave several prized starlets at home, with Nathan De Cat, Jorthy Mokio, Mika Godts, and most shockingly, Lyon’s Malick Fofana, failing to make the final cut.
The Official 26-Man Belgium World Cup Roster
Goalkeepers
- Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)
- Senne Lammens (Manchester United)
- Mike Penders (Strasbourg)
Defenders
- Thomas Meunier (Lille)
- Timothy Castagne (Fulham)
- Arthur Theate (Eintracht Frankfurt)
- Zeno Debast (Sporting CP)
- Maxim De Cuyper (Brighton & Hove Albion)
- Brandon Mechele (Club Brugge)
- Koni De Winter (Milan)
- Joaquin Seys (Club Brugge)
- Nathan Ngoy (Lille)
Midfielders
- Axel Witsel (Girona)
- Kevin De Bruyne (Napoli)
- Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa)
- Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge)
- Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta)
- Amadou Onana (Aston Villa)
- Nicolas Raskin (Rangers)
- Diego Moreira (Strasbourg)
Forwards
- Romelu Lukaku (Napoli)
- Leandro Trossard (Arsenal)
- Jeremy Doku (Manchester City)
- Dodi Lukebakio (Benfica)
- Alexis Saelemaekers (Milan)
- Matias Fernandez-Pardo (Lille)
Warm-up Schedule and Group Stage Itinerary
The Red Devils will play two crucial pre-tournament friendlies in Europe before making the trip across the Atlantic to open their competitive account in the United States and Canada.
Pre-Tournament Friendlies
- June 2, 2026: Croatia vs Belgium – Stadion HNK Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
- June 6, 2026: Belgium vs Tunisia – King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium
World Cup Group Stage Fixtures
- June 15, 2026: Belgium vs Egypt – Lumen Field, Seattle, United States
- June 21, 2026: Belgium vs Iran – SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, United States
- June 26, 2026: New Zealand vs Belgium – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada