New Zealand vs Belgium, Worldcup 2026 GROUP STAGE
Overview
Match Preview
New Zealand vs Belgium — Worldcup at BC Place.
- New Zealand 3 games · 1 pts (2026/26)
- Belgium 3 games · 5 pts (2026/26)
Match Details
- Referee Adham Makhadmeh (Jordan)
- Assistant 1 Mohammad Al Kalaf (Jordan)
- Assistant 2 Ahmad Moannes Nadi Al Roalle (Jordan)
4 games this season
🟨 2.0/game
⚽ 7.0 goals/game
Standings
| # | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico | 3 | 9 |
| 2 | South Africa | 3 | 4 |
| 3 | South Korea | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Czechia | 3 | 1 |
| 5 | Switzerland | 3 | 7 |
| 6 | Canada | 3 | 4 |
| 7 | Bosnia-Herzegovina | 3 | 4 |
| 8 | Qatar | 3 | 1 |
| 9 | Brazil | 3 | 7 |
| 10 | Morocco | 3 | 7 |
| 11 | Scotland | 3 | 3 |
| 12 | Haiti | 3 | 0 |
| 13 | United States | 3 | 6 |
| 14 | Australia | 3 | 4 |
| 15 | Paraguay | 3 | 4 |
| 16 | Turkey | 3 | 3 |
| 17 | Germany | 3 | 6 |
| 18 | Ivory Coast | 3 | 6 |
| 19 | Ecuador | 3 | 4 |
| 20 | Curacao | 3 | 1 |
| 21 | Netherlands | 3 | 7 |
| 22 | Japan | 3 | 5 |
| 23 | Sweden | 3 | 4 |
| 24 | Tunisia | 3 | 0 |
| 25 | Belgium | 3 | 5 |
| 26 | Egypt | 3 | 5 |
| 27 | Iran | 3 | 3 |
| 28 | New Zealand | 3 | 1 |
| 29 | Spain | 3 | 7 |
| 30 | Cape Verde Islands | 3 | 3 |
| 31 | Uruguay | 3 | 2 |
| 32 | Saudi Arabia | 3 | 2 |
| 33 | France | 3 | 9 |
| 34 | Norway | 3 | 6 |
| 35 | Senegal | 3 | 3 |
| 36 | Iraq | 3 | 0 |
| 37 | Argentina | 3 | 9 |
| 38 | Austria | 3 | 4 |
| 39 | Algeria | 3 | 4 |
| 40 | Jordan | 3 | 0 |
| 41 | Colombia | 3 | 7 |
| 42 | Portugal | 3 | 5 |
| 43 | Congo DR | 3 | 4 |
| 44 | Uzbekistan | 3 | 0 |
| 45 | England | 3 | 7 |
| 46 | Croatia | 3 | 6 |
| 47 | Ghana | 3 | 4 |
| 48 | Panama | 3 | 0 |
Head-to-Head
Last 5 meetings
Recent Form
Season Stats
| New Zealand | Belgium | |
|---|---|---|
| #28 | Position | #25 |
| 1 | Points | 5 |
| 3 | Played | 3 |
| 0 / 1 / 2 | W / D / L | 1 / 2 / 0 |
| 4 | Scored | 6 |
| 10 | Conceded | 2 |
| -6 | GD | +4 |
| 0.33 | PPG | 1.67 |
| 0% | Win % | 33% |
Key Stats
100%
Both Teams to Score
H2H (1 games)
H2H (1 games)
100%
Over 2.5 Goals
H2H history
H2H history
0%
Clean Sheets
New Zealand this season
New Zealand this season
17%
Clean Sheets
Belgium this season
Belgium this season
New Zealand are 28th (1 pts). Belgium are 25th (5 pts).
Goal Timing (This Season)
New Zealand
0-15
2/–
16-30
–/1
31-45
–/1
46-60
1/2
61-75
–/3
76+
1/3
■ Scored ■ Conceded
Belgium
0-15
1/–
16-30
1/3
31-45
2/1
46-60
2/1
61-75
1/–
76+
6/2
■ Scored ■ Conceded
Top Scorers (This Season)
New Zealand
| Elijah Just | 3 G |
Belgium
| Romelu Lukaku | 3 G | 1 A |
| Charles De Ketelaere | 3 G | 1 A |
| Leandro Trossard | 2 G | 2 A |
| Youri Tielemans | 2 G |
Events
Match Events
- 0' Three points are at stake. New Zealand host Belgium — let the battle begin!
- 5' The Array continues to deliver drama. Both New Zealand and Belgium are desperate not to drop points on matchday .
- 10' named a 4-2-3-1 earlier, and opted for a 4-2-3-1 in response. A fascinating tactical duel is developing.
- 15' New Zealand started playing very sharply right from the kick off. However, it slowed down the tempo rapidly by 15.
- 20' We miss some good tackles and strikes. Is there anyone on the field to put the game back to action?
- 25' New Zealand are enjoying more possession but struggling to find a way through a disciplined Belgium backline.
- 28' Goal! Leandro Trossard scores his 92 goal in 326 matches.
- 33' Although teams showed high tempo form the start, they seem to slow down a bit. Both sides really need to catch a fire. Otherwise, we have another goalless match.
- 38' New Zealand are happy to let the opposition have the ball in their own half. The trap is set.
- 43' The clock is ticking and both teams know a goal could change everything at this point.
- 46' The referee does not hesitate — a card for Marko Stamenic on 46 minutes.
- 46' New Zealand manager makes another effort to make the tables turned. Ben Old is hanging Ryan Thomas on the field on 46 minute.
- 50' Against the run of play, Leandro Trossard has scored! This game has turned on its head.
- 55' The teams are not in a rush to score plenty of goals. It might look strange considering Belgium that had 123 games and scored 52 goals.
- 56' The referee shows New Zealand player a card on 56.
- 56' It is a substitution in Belgium team. Jeremy Doku is replaced by Matias Fernandez-Pardo on 56 minute.
- 61' Arthur Theate has been disciplined this evening — perhaps mindful of those 0 cards already picked up this season.
- 64' Another change for New Zealand made on 64 minute. Tim Payne leaves to be changed by Michael Boxall.
- 66' A stunning finish from Kevin De Bruyne — that came from absolutely nowhere!
- 71' A tactical chess match is unfolding here. The question is which manager blinks first.
- 72' Another substitution for Belgium to replace Kevin De Bruyne by Amadou Onana on 72 minute.
- 77' New Zealand currently sit in the Array table. A result here could be decisive in the race for the top positions.
- 79' The New Zealand manager makes a substitution. Liberato Cacace departs to be replaced by Francis De Vries.
- 84' Elijah Just makes no mistake. The score reads 1-3 and New Zealand are in front.
- 85' Nicolas Raskin is replacing Youri Tielemans for the Belgium side.
- 86' GOAL! Romelu Lukaku fires home to make it 1-4!
- The final score is 1-5.
Lineups
New Zealand Lineups
4-2-3-1Starting XI
- 1
- 4
- 13
-
2
Tim Payne ↓ Michael Boxall 64'
- 16
-
6
Joe Bell ↓ Callum McCowatt 64'
-
10
Sarpreet Singh ↓ Jesse Randall 46'
- 8
-
23
Ryan Thomas ↓ Ben Old 46'
- 11
- 9
Bench
- 12
- 22
-
5
Michael Boxall ↑ 64'
-
3
Francis De Vries ↑ 79'
- 24
- 15
- 26
-
20
Callum McCowatt ↑ 64'
-
19
Ben Old ↑ 46'
- 14
- 17
- 25
-
21
Jesse Randall ↑ 46'
- 7
- 18
Coach
Darren Bazeley
Belgium Lineups
4-2-3-1Starting XI
- 4
- 20
-
7
Kevin De Bruyne ↓ Amadou Onana 72'
- 8
- 1
- 21
- 10
- 11
- 17
- 5
- 3
Bench
-
9
Romelu Lukaku ↑ 85'
- 15
- 6
- 14
-
22
Alexis Saelemaekers ↑ 72'
-
23
Nicolas Raskin ↑ 85'
- 12
-
24
Amadou Onana ↑ 72'
- 16
- 19
- 13
- 18
-
26
Matias Fernandez-Pardo ↑ 56'
Coach
Rudi Garcia
H2H
H2H Top Scorers
| Player | Goals |
|---|---|
| Leandro Trossard | 2 |
| Kevin De Bruyne | 1 |
| Romelu Lukaku | 1 |
| Alexis Saelemaekers | 1 |
| Elijah Just | 1 |
Head to Head
New Zealand Form
Predictions
Prediction accuracy
4 / 4
0.82
New Zealand xG
Expected Goals
Dixon-Coles · Bivariate Poisson · Neg. Binomial · Elo
4.16
Belgium xG
I would bet for:
Over 2.5 goals 85% + Belgium to win 74%
Match Result
✓ CorrectActual: Belgium win
Both Teams to Score
✓ Correct
Avg goals/match: 4.98
Actual: Yes — both scored
Over / Under Goals
✓ O/U 2.5| Line | Over | Under | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ± 0.5 | 99% |
|
1% |
| ± 1.5 | 95% |
|
5% |
| ± 2.5 | 85% |
|
15% |
| ± 3.5 | 70% |
|
30% |
| ± 4.5 | 51% |
|
49% |
Double Chance
New Zealand or Draw
26%
Draw or Belgium
88%
New Zealand or Belgium
86%
Half-Time Result
✓ CorrectActual: Belgium win at HT
Correct Score
✓ In top 12
0 – 4
8.9%
0 – 3
8.8%
0 – 5
7.3%
1 – 4
7.2%
1 – 3
7%
0 – 2
6.7%
1 – 5
Actual
1 – 2
5.3%
0 – 6
5.1%
1 – 6
4.2%
0 – 1
3.3%
0 – 7
3.1%
Asian Handicap — New Zealand
| Handicap | New Zealand covers | Push | Belgium covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| -2.5 | 0% | — | 100% |
| -2 | 0% | 1% | 99% |
| -1.5 | 1% | — | 99% |
| -1 | 1% | 2% | 97% |
| -0.5 | 3% | — | 97% |
| +0.5 | 11% | — | 89% |
| +1 | 11% | 12% | 77% |
| +1.5 | 23% | — | 77% |
| +2 | 23% | 18% | 59% |
| +2.5 | 41% | — | 59% |
Clean Sheet
New Zealand keeps clean sheet
2%
✓
Belgium keeps clean sheet
44%
✓
Predictions are statistical estimates based on season form, H2H history, and a Poisson model. Not financial advice.