Spain vs Belgium 2026 World Cup quarterfinal preview, team news, prediction and betting tips: European champions to exorcise Red Devils

Spain, the 2010 world champions, are bidding to reach the last four for the first time since lifting the trophy in South Africa and are yet to concede a goal in this tournament. 

Belgium, third-place finishers in 2018, are chasing what would be their best result since that remarkable run in Russia, and bring the momentum of a 4-1 demolition of the USA in the last round.

This is the World Cup 2026 knockout stage at its most compelling, two European heavyweights colliding for the right to keep their semi-final ambitions alive.

Spain are chasing their second World Cup crown as they clash with eternal bridesmaids Belgium in Friday's World Cup quarter-final.

Nearly 16 years to the day since their groundbreaking success in South Africa, La Roja now stand three wins from another taste of World Cup glory.

So far this summer, Luis de la Fuente's side have topped Group H and strolled past Austria in the first knockout round, before facing a last-16 tie against Portugal, who beat them in last year's UEFA Nations League final.

However, Spain got their revenge when Mikel Merino scored a record-breaking tenth last-minute winner at this World Cup, sending his country through to their first quarter-final since 2010.

Solidity has been the key, as Spain are the only team yet to concede a goal at these finals.

They have now kept a record six straight clean sheets at the World Cup – that’s more than 10 hours of football – and have also progressed from all six major knockout matches to date under Luis de la Fuente, suggesting they could prove very difficult to stop.

Belgium’s route to this stage has been far less serene. 

They drew three of their five matches and needed a dramatic comeback 3-2 win over Senegal in the last 32, with captain Youri Tielemans scoring the latest World Cup goal on record at 120+5’, deep into extra time.

Then, seemingly spurred on by the Folarin Balogun red-card controversy, they thrashed the USA 4-1 to confirm their quarter-final spot, a performance that showed a side capable of a real attacking threat when the pieces click.

Few would have predicted such a revival, as group stage elimination at Qatar 2022 was thought to herald the end for a fading 'golden generation'.

Yet, the Belgians are now unbeaten in 18 games and still have their eyes on football's greatest prize.

These sides have met 22 times in total, but history will weigh heavily on La Roja's side when meeting Belgium's Red Devils: they have won nine of the nations' last 11 meetings, since suffering defeat at Euro 1980. 

The most recent meeting came in 2016, when Spain secured a 2-0 friendly victory in Brussels.

At the World Cup level, the two nations have faced each other twice, with the record perfectly balanced.

Belgium eliminated Spain on penalties after a 1-1 draw through extra time in the 1986 quarterfinals in Mexico, while at the 1990 World Cup, Spain prevailed 2-1 in the group stage.

Friday's encounter, therefore, represents the decisive chapter in the World Cup rivalry between these two nations.

*Odds sourced from SportyBet and are correct at the time of publishing. Always gamble responsibly.

While both nations have experienced slight setbacks during the global showpiece, they’ve eventually shown their class. 

Spain have now recorded a run of four wins in a row, part of a 35-game unbeaten run inside 90 minutes. The last time La Roja lost in regulation time was in a 2024 friendly against Colombia.

Belgium have also been impressive, but perhaps less so than their looming opponents. The Red Devils are now undefeated across their previous 18 matches, but they’ve drawn three of their recent five games inside 90 minutes. 

And before that incredible run began, they were on a six-game winless streak that included four losses in a row. However, all those defeats came against European opposition and in 2025, so the Belgians will be hoping it is all in the past. 

However, historically, Spain has been dominant against Belgium, winning the last five in a row and being unbeaten in the last eight meetings. 

Consequently, La Roja are heavy favourites to secure a spot in the competition’s semi-final.

Spain’s defence has been rock solid at this World Cup, as they’ve yet to concede. They’ve recorded five consecutive clean sheets, even against Portugal with all their attacking riches. 

However, it will be difficult for them to maintain that record against Belgium.

The Red Devils have punished their opposition when it mattered, scoring 13 goals in their last five games at an average of 2.6 goals per game. Rudi Garcia has an elite forward line he can rely on to breach the Spanish defence.

The two friendlies that La Roja played before the World Cup, against Iraq and Peru, saw them concede once in each. Additionally, both teams found the back of the net in four of Belgium’s last five games, all of which were at this tournament. 

As a result, the same is expected in California, despite Spain’s recent solidity at the back.

There will be plenty of goalscorers in this fixture on both sides of the pitch. 

However, Rudi Garcia put his faith back in Charles De Ketelaere in their last-16 fixture, and he was rewarded with a brace and a man-of-the-match performance.

The Atalanta forward was on a three-game drought before that, and he didn’t make an appearance in Belgium’s goalless draw with Iran. 

However, he seems to have won back his manager's confidence and justified his decision to feature from the start. With De Ketelaere in excellent form, Garcia is likely to continue with this decision, putting Romelu Lukaku on the bench.

De Ketelaere can be a threat to the Spanish defence, and his xG of 1.22 in his last match suggests so. With three shots and five touches in the opposition box, he will carry a threat. 

He is worth backing for the value he offers, rather than backing Mikel Oyarzabal or Alex Baena on the other side.

Spain have kept a relatively settled side since their opening game, and De La Fuente is unlikely to tinker too much with his lineup on Friday.

The main debates are whether Marcos Llorente, Fabian Ruiz or last-16 matchwinner Merino can force their way into the starting XI. 

Set for the bench once again, Nico Williams is still short of full fitness after an adductor injury, but Lamine Yamal will start on La Roja's right wing.

Up front, Real Sociedad forward Mikel Oyarzabal has recorded 23 goal involvements from his last 17 international starts.

Meanwhile, De Ketelaere is expected to continue as Belgium's false nine, with Lukaku again consigned to the bench; the latter notched his 93rd national-team strike last time out. 

Dropped against the US, De Bruyne had been substituted in each of the first four matches – having previously played the full game in 13 consecutive World Cup appearances – but he could return for the quarter-final.

There is now a vacancy in midfield, with Amadou Onana picking up an ACL injury on Monday; Vanaken and Nicolas Raskin are his possible replacements.

Formerly first choice, Zeno Debast has yet to feature at these finals due to a leg injury, so the Belgian back four should stay unchanged.

Simon; Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal

Courtois; Castagne, Ngoy, Mechele, De Cuyper; Vanaken, Tielemans; Lukebakio, De Bruyne, Trossard; De Ketelaere

Spain arrive in the quarter-finals with the best defensive record in the tournament and a perfect record of zero goals conceded. 

And with La Roja’s tendency to keep opponents at bay by dominating the ball and suffocating them into submission, there may be more grit than glamour in this all-European clash.

Against a Belgium side weakened by the loss of Onana in central midfield, the possession dominance of Rodri and Pedri should suffocate the Red Devils' counter-attacking ambitions, leading to another tight victory for La Roja.

Correct score prediction: Spain 2-1 Belgium