Belgium and Senegal meet for the first time in their footballing histories on Wednesday evening, with a place in the World Cup 2026 round of 16 on the line. Lumen Field in Seattle hosts what many regard as the most evenly contested tie of the entire first knockout round.

When and how to watch

Kick-off is at 9:00pm BST / 4:00pm ET / 6:00am AEST (Thursday). The match is free to stream in the UK on ITV, in Australia on SBS On Demand, and in Ireland on RTÉ Player. US viewers can catch the action on FS1, available through Fox One, YouTube TV, Hulu+Live TV, Fubo, Sling, or DirecTV. English commentary is available on ITV, RTÉ Player, and SBS On Demand.

The game is also free to watch in Brazil via CazéTV on YouTube, in the Netherlands on NOS, in Belgium on RTBF/VRT, in Switzerland on SRF/RTS/RSI, and in Turkey on TRT.

Belgium's last chance for glory

Belgium topped their group but did so with considerable difficulty — Rudi Garcia's side needed a win over New Zealand after drawing with Egypt and Iran. For a squad that reached the semi-finals at the 2018 World Cup, anything less than a deep run here would feel like a missed opportunity.

Age is catching up with this generation. Nine members of the squad are 30 or older: Thibaut Courtois is 34, Kevin De Bruyne is 35, Axel Witsel is 37, and Romelu Lukaku is 33. For many of these players, World Cup 2026 represents a final shot at international football's biggest prize.

Senegal's bumpy road to Seattle

Pape Thiaw's side scraped through as the eighth and final third-placed qualifier after a turbulent group stage. Their solitary win — a convincing 5-0 victory over Iraq — papered over the cracks left by a 3-1 defeat to France and a 4-1 loss to Norway. Four years ago, Senegal did reach the knockout round, only to fall 3-0 to England.

Off-pitch tensions over bonus payments and camp organisation have also surfaced in the build-up to this match. On the pitch, however, Ismaila Sarr has been outstanding — the Crystal Palace forward has found the net three times — and Sadio Mané showed flashes of his Liverpool best during the Iraq game.

Senegal's claim to the Africa Cup of Nations title remains complicated: they won AFCON on the pitch but were subsequently stripped of the crown following off-field controversy. Whether or not they arrive in Seattle as Africa's official champions, they have the quality to cause a major upset.

FourFourTwo's prediction

FourFourTwo forecasts a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes, with Belgium edging past Senegal in a penalty shoot-out in front of the Hawks Nest crowd at Lumen Field.