Belgium Dominates Co-Hosts USA 4-1, Advancing to World Cup Quarterfinals
The United States' World Cup journey ends in Seattle, while Spain also secured a spot in the quarterfinals after a tight victory over Portugal.
The story
Co-hosts USA's FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign concluded in the Round of 16 on Monday, July 6th, as they fell 4-1 to a strong Belgium side at Seattle Stadium. Belgium's Charles de Ketelaere opened the scoring in the 9th minute, but USA's Malik Tillman equalized with a direct free-kick in the 31st minute, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
The parity was short-lived, however, as de Ketelaere netted his second just two minutes later, giving Belgium a 2-1 lead at halftime. After the break, Belgium extended their advantage with goals from Hans Vanaken and Romelu Lukaku, sealing a convincing 4-1 victory. The USMNT's run, which saw them top their group and achieve their second-ever knockout stage victory, ended before a passionate crowd of 66,925.
Yesterday's results
| Match | Score | Key |
|---|---|---|
| USA vs Belgium | 1-4 | Charles de Ketelaere scored twice for Belgium; Malik Tillman for USA. Match played in Seattle. |
| Portugal vs Spain | 0-1 | Spain advanced after a narrow victory in Dallas. |
Where it stands
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 continued to take shape on Monday. Belgium's decisive 4-1 victory over co-hosts USA in Seattle means the Red Devils advance to the quarterfinals, ending the Americans' impressive run.
In another keenly anticipated clash, Spain overcame Portugal with a 1-0 win in Dallas, securing their place in the next round. These results mean Belgium and Spain join Norway and England, who advanced on July 5th, in the quarterfinals. The remaining two Round of 16 fixtures are scheduled for Tuesday, July 7th, which will complete the quarterfinal bracket.
Off the pitch
| Player | From | To | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sean Steur | Ajax | Newcastle United | £23m |
What we'll be watching
- Argentina vs Egypt (Round of 16) - Tuesday, July 7, Atlanta, USA (kick-off 5pm ET)
- Switzerland vs Colombia (Round of 16) - Tuesday, July 7, Vancouver, Canada (kick-off 9pm ET)
- France vs Morocco (Quarterfinal) - Thursday, July 9, Boston, USA
Reporting + analyst voices: grounded via Google Search at publish time.