Belgium will be looking to get their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign firmly back on track when they face Iran at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday, but the Red Devils know they are unlikely to have things all their own way.
Group G remains wide open after the opening round of fixtures, with none of the four teams able to secure qualification or face elimination just yet. That makes Matchday 2 particularly significant, with both Belgium and Iran aware that a victory would put them in a strong position heading into the final group game.
Belgium were left frustrated in their opener after being held to a 1-1 draw by Egypt. The Red Devils struggled to find a breakthrough and ultimately needed an own goal shortly after Romelu Lukaku’s introduction
from the bench to rescue a point.
The veteran striker is expected to play a much bigger role against Iran. Lukaku remains Belgium’s all-time leading scorer with an astonishing 90 international goals, comfortably ahead of Kevin De Bruyne, who sits second on the list with 37.
With De Bruyne pulling the strings in midfield and Lukaku likely leading the attack, Belgium will hope to showcase the quality that has made them one of Europe’s most consistent sides over the last decade.
Iran, however, arrive with plenty of belief.
Team Melli fought back twice in a spirited 2-2 draw against New Zealand in their opening fixture, showing resilience and determination to avoid defeat. Head coach Amir Ghalenoei and star striker Mehdi Taremi also used the occasion to stress that the national team represents all Iranians, regardless of political views or where they live.
Now the three-time Asian champions stand on the verge of a historic result. A victory over Belgium would be one of the biggest wins in Iran’s World Cup history and could place them on the brink of qualification for the knockout rounds.
Head-to-Head
This will be the first-ever meeting between Belgium and Iran in international football.
Predicted Lineups
Belgium (4-2-3-1):
Courtois; Meunier, Ngoy, Mechele, De Cuyper; Onana, Tielemans; Doku, De Bruyne, Trossard; De Ketelaere.
Iran (4-4-2):
Beiranvand; Rezaeian, Nemati, Hazbavi/Khalilzadeh, Mohammadi; Mohebi, Ezatolahi, Ghoddos, Ghayedi; Taremi, Moghanlou.
Match Prediction
Iran have already shown they are capable of competing above expectations and should provide Belgium with a stern test. However, the Red Devils possess greater depth, creativity and attacking firepower.
Expect Iran to make life difficult, but Belgium’s quality should ultimately prove decisive.
Prediction: Belgium 2-1 Iran
