Team USA prepares for Belgium showdown in Seattle, Balogun cleared

Folarin Balogun was available to Mauricio Pochettino for the United States’ round of 16 meeting with Belgium after FIFA suspended his automatic one-match ban, giving the U.S. a cleaner path into a game built on pressure and possibility. Belgium reacted angrily and sought to appeal the ruling, while Pochettino welcomed it as a matter of justice and sporting integrity.

The match was set for Seattle Stadium on Monday, July 6, 2026, with kickoff at 5 p.m. local time in Seattle and 2 a.m. on July 7 in Brussels. It carried a direct reward: the winner would move into the quarterfinals. FIFA’s match center listed Adham Mohammad Tumah Makhadmeh as referee.

For the United States, the stakes reached beyond one night. A win would send the Americans to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2002, and U.S. Soccer said the team had lost six consecutive matches against Belgium before this meeting. The U.S. arrived in Seattle after beating Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in the round of 32, a result that gave the squad its second knockout-stage win ever in this tournament and lifted its goal total to 10.

Belgium arrived with its own credentials, having also advanced through Seattle Stadium in the previous round. The matchup carried the weight of history as well: it was the first World Cup meeting between the sides since Brazil 2014, when Belgium edged the United States 2-1 in extra time. That game is still remembered for Tim Howard’s 16 saves, the most by any goalkeeper in a single World Cup match.

Pochettino’s optimism rested on more than sentiment. Balogun’s eligibility added a pace-and-finishing option to a U.S. attack already producing goals, while the team’s run through the knockout bracket has given it proof it can survive high-pressure matches. The challenge against Belgium was more severe than Bosnia and Herzegovina, but the U.S. had a clear route to an upset: stay organized, stay aggressive, and lean into the belief that one more clean performance could finally push the program back among the tournament’s final eight.