FIFA WC 2026: Klinsmann backs Belgium as favourites vs USA in Round of 16
Synopsis
Jurgen Klinsmann — the man who once coached the USA — is now backing Belgium to eliminate them at Seattle Stadium. With an 11-match unbeaten run, a +40 goal differential, and a 5-2 friendly win over the Americans, Belgium arrive as the form side. But a maturing USMNT, playing at home and brimming with belief, makes this one of the Round of 16's most intriguing ties.
Key Takeaways
Jurgen Klinsmann , part of FIFA's Technical Study Group , has named Belgium slight favourites over USA in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16 at Seattle Stadium .
Belgium are on an 11W-0L-6D run since 20 March 2025 , with a +40 goal differential across 17 matches .
Belgium beat the USA 5-2 in a pre-tournament friendly in March 2025 .
The USA have lost six consecutive matches against Belgium since their lone win — a 3-0 victory at the 1930 World Cup in Montevideo .
USMNT topped Group D and beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in the Round of 32 .
Belgium came from 2-0 down to beat Senegal 3-2 in extra time in the Round of 32 .
Former USA head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, now serving as a member of FIFA's Technical Study Group for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, has tipped Belgium as slight favourites ahead of their Round of 16 clash against co-host USA, scheduled for Tuesday at Seattle Stadium. The assessment comes on the back of Belgium's remarkable unbeaten run and a dominant pre-tournament friendly result against the Americans.
Belgium's Case for Favourites Tag
Belgium have not tasted defeat since 20 March 2025, when they fell 3-1 to Ukraine in the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League promotion/relegation play-offs — also head coach Rudi Garcia's first match in charge. In the 17 matches since, Belgium have compiled an extraordinary 11W-0L-6D record across all competitions, backed by a staggering +40 goal differential.
'I would slightly put Belgium as a favourite because of their history and the quality of the team. They also had a friendly in March where they looked really strong against the US, winning 5-2 so I give the favourite role to Belgium,' Klinsmann said.
A Rivalry Defined by USA's Long Losing Streak
The two nations have met on seven previous occasions. The USA's solitary victory came in their very first encounter — a 3-0 win at the inaugural 1930 FIFA World Cup in Montevideo, Uruguay. That margin remains the joint-largest in American World Cup history, recently equalled by the USMNT's three-goal victory over Paraguay in the tournament opener this year.
Since that historic win, the United States has lost six consecutive matches against Belgium. The two most recent meetings were the Round of 16 at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and a pre-tournament friendly in Atlanta earlier this year. The 2014 encounter is particularly etched in football memory — USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard made a single-match World Cup record 16 saves in that defeat.
Klinsmann Sees a Confident, Maturing USA Side
Despite favouring Belgium, Klinsmann acknowledged that the USMNT has evolved considerably. 'The US team has matured and has an incredible amount of confidence now as well as a belief through being the home team and on a good run. They have set a bar for themselves in the first half against Paraguay in the opening game and if they get close to that level of play, they are capable of beating Belgium,' he added.
The USA advanced to the Round of 16 after topping Group D, followed by a 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32.
Belgium's Path to the Last 16
Belgium won Group G after a dominant 5-1 victory over New Zealand in their final group-stage match, having earlier posted back-to-back draws against Egypt and IR Iran. In the Round of 32, they staged a dramatic comeback against Senegal, overturning a 2-0 deficit in the final minutes of regular time to win 3-2 in extra time at Seattle Stadium.
With both sides carrying momentum into Tuesday's tie, the match shapes up as one of the most compelling fixtures of the knockout stage — and a potential turning point for American football on home soil.
Point of View
A +40 goal differential, and a head-to-head thrashing of the Americans just months ago. Yet the intangible the data cannot capture is home-crowd pressure at Seattle, where the USMNT's belief has visibly grown. The more pointed question is whether Belgium's dramatic escape against Senegal — needing extra time to overturn a 2-0 deficit — signals a vulnerability under pressure that a confident USA side could exploit. Six straight losses to Belgium is a psychological weight, but World Cup knockout football on home soil has a way of rewriting history.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who does Jurgen Klinsmann favour in the Belgium vs USA 2026 World Cup match?
Jurgen Klinsmann has picked Belgium as slight favourites over the USA in the Round of 16 tie at Seattle Stadium, citing their strong recent form and a 5-2 friendly win over the Americans in March 2025.
What is Belgium's recent form heading into the 2026 World Cup Round of 16?
Belgium have gone unbeaten in 17 matches since 20 March 2025, posting an 11W-0L-6D record with a +40 goal differential across all competitions including the FIFA World Cup, UEFA qualifiers, Nations League, and friendlies.
What is the head-to-head record between USA and Belgium at the World Cup?
The USA and Belgium have met seven times in total. The Americans' only win was a 3-0 victory at the 1930 inaugural World Cup in Montevideo. Since then, the USA have lost six consecutive matches against Belgium, including the Round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
How did the USA qualify for the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup?
The USMNT topped Group D and then defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in the Round of 32 to advance to the last 16.
How did Belgium reach the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Belgium won Group G after a 5-1 victory over New Zealand in their final group game. In the Round of 32, they came from 2-0 down to beat Senegal 3-2 in extra time at Seattle Stadium.
