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The United States now knows which team may await in the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup.
Belgium lost 2-0 to Senegal, 3-2 in extra time, in Wednesday's World Cup Round of 32 match, and could face the Americans if the United States takes care of Bosnia and Herzegovina later tonight.
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A win over Bosnia will not automatically send the Americans to the Round of 16 in the second consecutive World Cup. It will set up a meeting with a Belgian team that has just completed one of the returning teams in the tournament.
Youri Tielemans #8 of Belgium celebrates with his teammates after scoring his team's second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between Belgium and Senegal at Seattle Stadium on July 1, 2026. (Jared C. Tilton – FIFA / Getty Images)
Belgium finished third at the 2018 World Cup and failed to advance to the group stage in 2022, but the roster still had the potential to make another deep run. Kevin De Bruyne, Jérémy Doku, Romelu Lukaku and Thibaut Courtois have given the Belgians the kind of skill that makes the team a threat in any competition. That is why Belgium was allowed to beat Senegal.
But games are not played on paper.
Senegal got on the board first in the 25th minute, when Habib Diarra picked up a rebound after Ismaila Sarr hit the post to give Senegal a 1-0 lead.
The game was briefly interrupted in the 32nd minute when at least three attackers entered the field, forcing officials to stop play while security responded.
Guards entered the field during the disturbance as Belgium defender Maxim De Cuyper was holding on to the ball when the incident occurred.
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Footage from the game showed many people being arrested or escorted away by security forces during a bizarre stoppage.
Security forces arrest multiple attackers during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between Belgium and Senegal at Seattle Stadium on July 1, 2026. (Getty Images)
There was a strange interruption in the middle of the game which Senegal had dominated. And it didn't do much to change the flow of the game.
Senegal took the lead again in the second half. Sarr, who had already helped set up Diarra's first goal by hitting the post, made Belgium pay again in the 51st minute with Moussa Niakhaté's pass to put Senegal in control.
At the time, Senegal looked like a lock to advance to the Round of 16 of the World Cup for the second time in a row.
But the talented Belgian team refused to go down easily.
Lukaku broke Senegal's lead in the 86th minute, completing Thomas Meunier's set-up to give Belgium life.
Moments later, Youri Tielemans completed the comeback, tapping in a pass from Leandro Trossard to make it 2-2 and throw off what looked like Senegal's upset.
Perhaps surprisingly, Belgium came from behind without two of their stars on the field. De Bruyne and Doku were both sent off in the 56th minute with Belgium trailing 2-0.
A quick substitution didn't affect either goal, but the Belgian bench still played a big role: Lukaku, who came on at half-time, scored the first, and Thomas Meunier, who came on in the 78th minute, assisted.
After scoring a late equalizer, Tielemans stepped into the penalty area in the 120+5th minute and buried the go-ahead goal to complete Belgium's stunning comeback.
Senegal took a 2-0 lead in the 86th minute and saw their tournament end within an hour.
Now the focus shifts to the Americans.
The US will enter Wednesday night's game at Levi's Stadium with a chance to keep the World Cup alive in front of their home crowd. The reward is clear: beat Bosnia and Herzegovina, then Belgium.
Auston Trusty celebrates with his teammates after scoring the United States' first goal in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match against Türkiye at Los Angeles Stadium. (Jared C. Tilton/FIFA via Getty Images)
The USMNT is favored to advance to the quarterfinals for its Round of 32 side, with Belgium the second favorite. For much of the game, it looked like the Americans might avoid Belgium altogether.
That's not the case anymore.
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The Belgians survived and rode a valiant comeback, perhaps making the US way more difficult. But before Americans think about that, they have to take care of business against Bosnia.
If they do, their opponents in the Round of 16 are placed.
Belgium will be waiting.
