New Zealand v Belgium, 26 June 2026

Score5-1 to Belgium
RefereeAdham Makhadmeh
CompetitionFIFA World Cup Group G
VenueBC Place, Vancouver
Attendance52,497

View New Zealand v Belgium head to head

Kick-off: 8.00pm local . FIFA World Ranking: New Zealand 85th, Belgium 9th . This was the first-ever meeting at ‘A’ international level.

1 New Zealand

Manager: Darren Bazeley

5 Belgium

Manager: Rudi Garcia

Goals:

Elijah Just 84 G

Goals:

Leandro Trossard 28 G
Leandro Trossard 50 G
Kevin De Bruyne 66 G
Romelu Lukaku 86 G
Alexis Saelemaekers 90+4 G

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Max Crocombe
Defender Tyler Bindon
Defender Finn Surman
Defender/Midfielder Liberato Cacace
Defender/Midfielder Tim Payne
Midfielder Joe Bell
Midfielder Elijah Just
Midfielder Sarpreet Singh
Midfielder Marko Stamenić
Midfielder Ryan Thomas
Forward Chris Wood (captain)

Starting lineup:

Thibaut Courtois Goalkeeper
Timothy Castagne Defender
Brandon Mechele Defender
Arthur Theate Defender
Maxim De Cuyper Defender/Midfielder
Charles De Ketelaere Midfielder
Youri Tielemans Midfielder (captain)
Leandro Trossard Midfielder
Hans Vanaken Midfielder
Kevin De Bruyne Midfielder/Forward
Jérémy Doku Midfielder/Forward

Substitutions:

Ben Old for Ryan Thomas 46
Jesse Randall for Sarpreet Singh 46
Michael Boxall for Tim Payne 64
Callum McCowatt for Joe Bell 64
Francis De Vries for Liberato Cacace 79

Substitutions:

Matias Fernandez-Pardo for Jérémy Doku 56
Amadou Onana for Kevin De Bruyne 72
Alexis Saelemaekers for Leandro Trossard 72
Romelu Lukaku for Charles De Ketelaere 85
Nicolas Raskin for Youri Tielemans 85

Cards:

Marko Stamenić 46 Y
Elijah Just 56 Y

Cards:

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Alex Paulsen
Goalkeeper Michael Woud
Defender Michael Boxall
Defender Francis De Vries
Defender Callan Elliot
Defender Nando Pijnaker
Defender Tommy Smith
Defender/Midfielder Ben Old
Midfielder Lachlan Bayliss
Midfielder Callum McCowatt
Midfielder Alex Rufer
Midfielder/Forward Kosta Barbarouses
Midfielder/Forward Ben Waine
Forward Jesse Randall
Forward Logan Rogerson

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Senne Lammens
Goalkeeper Mike Penders
Defender Koni De Winter
Defender Joaquin Seys
Defender/Midfielder Thomas Meunier
Defender/Midfielder Amadou Onana
Midfielder Dodi Lukebakio
Midfielder Nicolas Raskin
Midfielder Alexis Saelemaekers
Midfielder Axel Witsel
Forward Diego Moreira
Forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo
Forward Romelu Lukaku

Comments:

New Zealand had now finished bottom of their group in two of their three participations at FIFA World Cup tournaments. . The lowest ranked nation at this tournament, this result had now become the All Whites’ biggest-ever defeat at a FIFA World Cup finals and their heaviest defeat in all games since a 5-1 loss to Mexico in a FIFA World Cup qualifying play-off in Mexico City in November 2013. . They now remained without a win in their nine games at FIFA World Cup tournaments (lost five).

Comments:

Facing possible elimination prior to kick-off, Belgium had now finished at the top of their group in three of their last four participations at FIFA World Cup finals. . This result became the Red Devils’ biggest-ever win at a FIFA World Cup finals: previously 5-2 against Tunisia in Moscow, Russia in 2018. . Kevin De Bruyne had now become the first player to score for Belgium at three editions of FIFA World Cup tournaments: also 2014 and 2018. . Belgium named 13 of a possible 15 substitutes. Zeno Debast was sidelined due to a thigh injury. Nathan Ngoy was suspended after a red card in the second group game against Iran. . Belgium were awarded a penalty in the 20th minute for handball but was reversed after a VAR review.

1 New Zealand

Manager: Darren Bazeley

Goals:

Elijah Just 84 G

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Max Crocombe
Defender Tyler Bindon
Defender Finn Surman
Defender/Midfielder Liberato Cacace
Defender/Midfielder Tim Payne
Midfielder Joe Bell
Midfielder Elijah Just
Midfielder Sarpreet Singh
Midfielder Marko Stamenić
Midfielder Ryan Thomas
Forward Chris Wood (captain)

Substitutions:

Ben Old for Ryan Thomas 46
Jesse Randall for Sarpreet Singh 46
Michael Boxall for Tim Payne 64
Callum McCowatt for Joe Bell 64
Francis De Vries for Liberato Cacace 79

Cards:

Marko Stamenić 46 Y
Elijah Just 56 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Alex Paulsen
Goalkeeper Michael Woud
Defender Michael Boxall
Defender Francis De Vries
Defender Callan Elliot
Defender Nando Pijnaker
Defender Tommy Smith
Defender/Midfielder Ben Old
Midfielder Lachlan Bayliss
Midfielder Callum McCowatt
Midfielder Alex Rufer
Midfielder/Forward Kosta Barbarouses
Midfielder/Forward Ben Waine
Forward Jesse Randall
Forward Logan Rogerson

Comments:

New Zealand had now finished bottom of their group in two of their three participations at FIFA World Cup tournaments. . The lowest ranked nation at this tournament, this result had now become the All Whites’ biggest-ever defeat at a FIFA World Cup finals and their heaviest defeat in all games since a 5-1 loss to Mexico in a FIFA World Cup qualifying play-off in Mexico City in November 2013. . They now remained without a win in their nine games at FIFA World Cup tournaments (lost five).

5 Belgium

Manager: Rudi Garcia

Goals:

Leandro Trossard 28 G
Leandro Trossard 50 G
Kevin De Bruyne 66 G
Romelu Lukaku 86 G
Alexis Saelemaekers 90+4 G

Starting lineup:

Thibaut Courtois Goalkeeper
Timothy Castagne Defender
Brandon Mechele Defender
Arthur Theate Defender
Maxim De Cuyper Defender/Midfielder
Charles De Ketelaere Midfielder
Youri Tielemans Midfielder (captain)
Leandro Trossard Midfielder
Hans Vanaken Midfielder
Kevin De Bruyne Midfielder/Forward
Jérémy Doku Midfielder/Forward

Substitutions:

Matias Fernandez-Pardo for Jérémy Doku 56
Amadou Onana for Kevin De Bruyne 72
Alexis Saelemaekers for Leandro Trossard 72
Romelu Lukaku for Charles De Ketelaere 85
Nicolas Raskin for Youri Tielemans 85

Cards:

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Senne Lammens
Goalkeeper Mike Penders
Defender Koni De Winter
Defender Joaquin Seys
Defender/Midfielder Thomas Meunier
Defender/Midfielder Amadou Onana
Midfielder Dodi Lukebakio
Midfielder Nicolas Raskin
Midfielder Alexis Saelemaekers
Midfielder Axel Witsel
Forward Diego Moreira
Forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo
Forward Romelu Lukaku

Comments:

Facing possible elimination prior to kick-off, Belgium had now finished at the top of their group in three of their last four participations at FIFA World Cup finals. . This result became the Red Devils’ biggest-ever win at a FIFA World Cup finals: previously 5-2 against Tunisia in Moscow, Russia in 2018. . Kevin De Bruyne had now become the first player to score for Belgium at three editions of FIFA World Cup tournaments: also 2014 and 2018. . Belgium named 13 of a possible 15 substitutes. Zeno Debast was sidelined due to a thigh injury. Nathan Ngoy was suspended after a red card in the second group game against Iran. . Belgium were awarded a penalty in the 20th minute for handball but was reversed after a VAR review.