On June 21, 2026, the Belgium national football team played against Iran in a key Group G match at the FIFA World Cup. The Belgium vs Iran clash took place at SoFi Stadium, with both nations seeking their first victory of the tournament after opening-round draws.
Belgium entered the contest following a 1–1 draw against Egypt, while Iran earned a hard-fought 2–2 result against New Zealand. With qualification implications already emerging, Belgium vs Iran was of significant importance to both teams.
Belgium vs Iran Team News and Match Context
Belgium entered the match as the clear favorite according to pre-match projections. The Red Devils were given close to a 70 percent chance of victory, while Iran faced the challenge of upsetting one of Europe’s strongest squads.
However, Belgium dealt with important absences. Jérémy Doku missed the match due to illness, while Zeno Debast remained unavailable through injury. There was positive news for Belgium, though, as all-time leading scorer Romelu Lukaku was expected to play a larger role after appearing as a substitute in the opener.
Iran also monitored the fitness of Saman Ghoddos and Arya Yousefi. Much of their attacking responsibility rested on veteran striker Mehdi Taremi.
Key Players and Tactical Battle
Belgium relied heavily on Kevin De Bruyne’s creativity, supported by Leandro Trossard and Charles De Ketelaere.
Iran looked to stay compact defensively while using quick transitions through Taremi and Mehdi Ghayedi. As both teams sought their first World Cup victory, this Belgium vs Iran match held great importance in the fight to reach the knockout stage.
Belgium vs Iran First Half Update
Belgium and Iran reached halftime level at 0-0 after a hard-fought first half at SoFi Stadium. Belgium dominated possession and controlled much of the play, but Iran defended resolutely and threatened on the counterattack.
The standout moment came in the 11th minute when Mehdi Taremi scored from a clever free-kick routine, only for VAR to rule him offside. Belgium’s best chance fell to Romelu Lukaku, whose effort was saved by Alireza Beiranvand. Yellow cards were shown to Lukaku and Saeid Ezatolahi before the break.
Key Match Moments
1′ KICK-OFF: The match gets underway at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
4′ BELGIUM CORNER: Maxim De Cuyper wins an early corner, but Kevin De Bruyne’s delivery is cleared.
11′ DISALLOWED GOAL – IRAN: Mehdi Taremi finishes a clever free-kick move, but VAR rules the goal out for offside.
16′ BELGIUM CHANCE: Leandro Trossard fires narrowly wide from the edge of the penalty area.
21′ SAVE – IRAN: Alireza Beiranvand denies Romelu Lukaku before Belgium earn a corner.
25′ YELLOW CARD – BELGIUM: Romelu Lukaku is booked for a late challenge on Saeid Ezatolahi.
30′ HYDRATION BREAK: Play pauses due to the hot conditions in Los Angeles.
38′ IRAN CORNER: Ramin Rezaeian’s attack wins a corner, which Thibaut Courtois claims comfortably.
41′ OVERTURNED THROW-IN: Thomas Meunier loses possession under FIFA’s new throw-in time regulations.
44′ PHYSICAL CLASH: Lukaku catches Ezatolahi near the Iran box, but the referee issues only a warning.
45+3′ HALF-TIME: The referee blows for the break with the score level at 0-0.
Full-Time Update
Belgium and Iran shared a hard-fought 0-0 draw in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group G encounter. The second half was dominated by tactical adjustments and disciplined defending, with both sides struggling to create clear chances. Belgium introduced several substitutes before suffering a major setback when Nathan Ngoy received a straight red card in the 66th minute. Reduced to 10 men, Belgium focused on defense, while Iran pushed forward in search of a winner. Despite late pressure from Iran, Belgium held firm to secure a valuable point.
Key Match Moments
45′ SUB – IRAN: Alireza Jahanbakhsh replaces Saleh Hardani at halftime.
46′-56′ TACTICAL BATTLE: Both sides resume with intensity as physical play and defensive discipline dominate the contest.
57′ TRIPLE SUB – BELGIUM: Timothy Castagne, Hans Vanaken, and Dodi Lukébakio replace Thomas Meunier, Nicolas Raskin, and Alexis Saelemaekers.
65′ DOUBLE SUB – IRAN: Milad Mohammadi and Mahdi Torabi replace Ehsan Hajsafi and Mohammad Mohebi.
66′ RED CARD – BELGIUM: Nathan Ngoy is sent off for a serious foul, reducing Belgium to 10 men.
67′-71′ MATCH DELAY: Play slows following the red card as both teams reorganize and take a hydration break.
72′ SUB – BELGIUM: Arthur Theate replaces Romelu Lukaku as Belgium reshapes defensively.
78′ SUB – IRAN: Shahriyar Moghanlou replaces Saman Ghoddos.
84′ SUB – IRAN: Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh replaces Saeid Ezatolahi.
86′ SUB – BELGIUM: Matias Fernandez-Pardo replaces Kevin De Bruyne.
90+’ FULL TIME: Belgium and Iran settle for a 0-0 draw after a tense finish.
Match Statistics
Goals: Belgium 0-0 Iran
Cards: Belgium 1 Yellow, 1 Red | Iran 1 Yellow
Corners: Belgium 4 | Iran 2
Offsides: Belgium 3 | Iran 4
Notably, Iran had a first-half goal from Mehdi Taremi ruled out for offside following a VAR review.
Belgium vs Iran Match Results Today: FIFA World Cup 2026 Live Score, Updates, Stats