Belgium stormed into the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 as Group G winners after a 5-1 win over New Zealand in Vancouver.
Belgium needed a big win to move above Egypt, and they delivered when it mattered most.
Leandro Trossard scored twice, while Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Saelemaekers also found the net in a dominant display. The result took Belgium to the top of Group G after Egypt drew 1-1 with Iran in the other match.
New Zealand, who needed a win to keep their hopes alive, were eliminated from the tournament. They ended their third World Cup appearance without a win.
Belgium showed their quality from the start and took control of the match with sharp passing and strong movement in attack. De Bruyne produced his best performance of the tournament so far and helped Belgium find rhythm before the knockout stage.
Trossard led the way with two goals, while Lukaku came off the bench and added Belgium’s fourth. Saelemaekers then completed the rout in stoppage time after a Lukaku assist.
Belgium’s win was enough to seal first place after late drama in Seattle. Iran thought they had scored a late winner against Egypt, which would have changed the group standings. But VAR ruled the goal out for offside, keeping that match at 1-1 and sending Belgium through as group winners.
Egypt finished second in Group G, while Iran ended third and still have a strong chance of reaching the Round of 32. New Zealand finished bottom and bowed out.
Belgium will now play their Round of 32 match in Seattle on Wednesday, though their opponent is yet to be confirmed. They are set to face a third-placed team from Group A, Group I or Group J.
New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley said the defeat hurt, but he remained proud of his players’ effort. He said his side would learn from the experience after missing chances to progress from a difficult group.
Belgium still have work to do, but this was their strongest statement of the World Cup so far. Their senior players stepped up, their attack clicked, and De Bruyne’s return to form gave them fresh hope for the knockout rounds.
