2026 World Cup Round of 16: Portugal vs Spain and USA vs Belgium Matchups
The Round of 16 in the 2026 World Cup wraps up today, marking the end of nearly a month straight of nonstop football. After days filled with intense matches, fans are eager to see how the USMNT will fare tonight against Belgium.
Portugal and Spain, both viewed as strong contenders, have not had an easy path so far. Their group stage performances showed some vulnerabilities, but each team displayed resilience in the Round of 32. Portugal edged past Croatia, only securing victory thanks to a late VAR decision that disallowed a Croatian equalizer. Spain delivered a convincing win over Austria, highlighting their potential as a tournament threat.
Pedro Neto has been a constant for Portugal, starting all four games and providing one assist along the way.
- Date/Time: Monday, July 6, 2026, 3pm EDT / 8pm BST
- Venue: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX, USA
- Referee: Anthony Taylor (USA)
- TV Coverage: FOX, Telemundo (USA); BBC One (UK)
- Streaming: FOX One, Peacock (USA); BBC iPlayer (UK)
USA Takes On Belgium in a Highly Anticipated Match
The highlight for American fans comes later, as the US faces Belgium. A major talking point is the unexpected reversal of striker Folarin Balogun's red card suspension. FIFA’s decision to suspend his ban, allowing him to play, is extremely rare. Similar exceptions happened long ago, like in 1962 when Garrincha played in the final despite being sent off earlier, or more recently with Cristiano Ronaldo's delayed suspension during qualifiers.
This match also serves as a chance for the US to seek revenge against Belgium after their 2014 Round of 16 loss, a game remembered for goalkeeper Tim Howard’s remarkable performance despite the defeat.
- Date/Time: Monday, July 6, 2026, 8pm EDT / 1am BST (next day)
- Venue: Lumen Field, Seattle, WA, USA
- Referee: Adham Makhadmeh (Jordan)
- TV Coverage: FOX, Telemundo (USA); BBC One (UK)
- Streaming: FOX One, Peacock (USA); BBC iPlayer (UK)
