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The United States now knows which team could be waiting in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.
Belgium rallied from a two-goal deficit to defeat Senegal, 3-2 in overtime, in Wednesday’s World Cup round of 32 match, earning a potential showdown with the Americans if the United States takes over Bosnia and Herzegovina later that night.
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A victory over Bosnia would not only send the Americans to the round of 16 for the second consecutive World Cup. It would set up a meeting with a Belgian team that has just completed one of the wildest comebacks of the tournament.
Youri Tielemans #8 of Belgium celebrates with his teammates after scoring his team’s second goal during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match between Belgium and Senegal at Seattle Stadium on July 1, 2026. (Jared C. Tilton – FIFA/Getty Images)
Belgium finished third in the 2018 World Cup and failed to advance beyond the group stage in 2022, but the squad still had the star power to make another deep run. Kevin De Bruyne, Jérémy Doku, Romelu Lukaku and Thibaut Courtois gave the Belgians the kind of skill that makes a team dangerous in any tournament. That’s why Belgium was the favorite to defeat Senegal.
But games are not played on paper.
Senegal got on the scoreboard first in the 25th minute, when Habib Diarra cleaned up a rebound after Ismaila Sarr hit the post to give Senegal a 1-0 lead.
The match was briefly interrupted in the 32nd minute when at least three pitch invaders entered the field, forcing the referees to stop play while security responded.
Security personnel invaded the field during the interruption while Belgian defender Maxim De Cuyper held the ball as the scene unfolded.
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Photos from the game showed several people being detained or escorted away by security during the strange walkout.
Security personnel detain several pitch invaders during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match between Belgium and Senegal at Seattle Stadium on July 1, 2026. (Getty Images)
It was a strange interruption in the middle of a match that Senegal had largely controlled. And it didn’t do much to change the flow of the game.
Senegal doubled the lead early in the second half. Sarr, who had already helped create Diarra’s first goal by hitting the post, made Belgium pay again in the 51st minute with a pass from Moussa Niakhaté to put Senegal firmly in control.
At that time, Senegal seemed to have a chance of advancing to the round of 16 for the second consecutive World Cup.
But the talented Belgian team refused to go down easily.
Lukaku halved Senegal’s lead in the 86th minute, finishing off a Thomas Meunier move to give Belgium life.
Moments later, Youri Tielemans completed the comeback, scoring off a pass from Leandro Trossard to make it 2-2 and sending what looked like a Senegal upset into total chaos.
Perhaps surprisingly, Belgium made their wild comeback without two of their stars on the field. De Bruyne and Doku were substituted in the 56th minute, when Belgium trailed 2-0.
The immediate substitutes did not directly influence any of the goals, but the Belgium bench continued to play an important role: Lukaku, a half-time substitute, scored the first and Thomas Meunier, who came on in the 78th minute, assisted.
After scoring the equalizer at the end of regulation time, Tielemans stepped on the penalty spot in the 120+5 minute and scored the go-ahead goal to complete Belgium’s stunning comeback.
Senegal went from leading 2-0 in the 86th minute to seeing their tournament come to an end less than an hour later.
Now the focus is on the Americans.
The United States enters Wednesday night’s game at Levi’s Stadium with a chance to keep its World Cup run alive in front of its home crowd. The reward is clear: beating Bosnia and Herzegovina and Belgium will be next.
Auston Trusty celebrates with his teammates after scoring the United States’ first goal during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group D match against Türkiye at Los Angeles Stadium. (Jared C. Tilton/FIFA via Getty Images)
The USMNT were the favorites to advance to the quarterfinals on their side of the round of 32 draw, with Belgium as the second favorite. For most of the game, it looked like the Americans would be able to avoid Belgium entirely.
Not anymore.
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The Belgians survived and are enjoying a heroic comeback, perhaps making America’s path that much more difficult. But before the Americans can even think about that, they have to deal with anti-Bosnian issues.
If they do, their round of 16 opponent will be decided.
Belgium will be waiting.
