Spain vs. Belgium Top Storylines, Odds, Live Stream for World Cup 2026
The first of two all-European quarterfinals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup takes place on Friday inside Sofi Stadium.
Spain feels like its in cruise control on the defensive side of the ball.
La Roja have not allowed a goal through five games, including in their knockout-round wins over Austria and Portugal.
Belgium played in more high-scoring games in the knockout round. Its clashes with the United States and Senegal produced a total of 10 goals.
Belgium manager Rudi Garcia found more success with his stars on the bench, but he'll likely need Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku from the start on Friday.
Match Info and Odds
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Date: Friday, July 10
Start Time: 4 p.m. ET
TV: Fox
Live Stream: Fox One and FoxSports.com
To Qualify For Next Round: Spain (-350; bet $350 to win $100); Belgium (+265; bet $100 to win $265)
90-Minute Money Line: Spain (-160); Belgium (+470): Draw (+280)
Can Spain Keep Up Perfect Defensive Record?
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Spain hasn't conceded through 450 minutes.
The Spanish held clean sheets against Cape Verde, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia in the group stage and then shutout Austria and Portugal to begin the knockout round.
Spain's perfect defensive record is one of the reasons why it has a legitimate chance to win the World Cup.
The back line is not just holding clean sheets, it is suppressing shot and chance creation as well.
Part of that comes with Spain's dominance of possession, but even when opponents have the ball and break down the field on the counter, La Roja have snuffed out a majority of those moves.
Spain's task on Friday is to slow down a Belgium attack that ran rampant against the United States.
Belgium won't score four goals on the Spanish, but it could create problems through its players that are high on confidence at the moment.
Another clean sheet means Spain will move on into the semifinals, where its really would be tested if it faces Kylian Mbappe and France.
How Does Belgium Approach Its Lineup Selection?
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Belgium manager Rudi Garcia took the risk of taking off Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku early in the second half against Senegal.
He also kept the two stars on the bench from the start against the United States. De Bruyne did not play a minute in the 4-1 round of 16 win.
Belgium scored six goals without its two best attack-minded players on the field, but now it is going up against a much tougher opponent in Spain.
Garcia could opt for the same strategy from the start so that he can attempt to clog the midfield with other players and slow down Spain's tempo on the ball.
The Belgium manager could also put a fresher Doku and De Bruyne on the field from the start and challenge Spain's back line on the counter.
Romelu Lukaku has come off the bench all tournament, so that decision is already made, but for De Bruyne and Doku, they could be real difference-makers from the start.
How Garcia approaches that decision could determine how competitive Belgium is over 90 minutes.
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