Spain vs Belgium: Prediction, Picks, Lineups & Best Bets

World Cup 2026 Quarterfinal · The Round's Marquee Matchup · FanDuel odds

📖 Match Preview

This might be the standout tie of the entire quarterfinal round. Spain arrive with an almost unbelievable defensive record — unbeaten, and yet to concede a single goal across five matches. Goalkeeper Unai Simón has set a new tournament record for minutes without conceding. La Roja topped Group H, thrashed Austria 3-0, and needed a dramatic 91st-minute Mikel Merino goal to edge Portugal 1-0 in the Round of 16 — sweet revenge after losing to the same opponent in last year's Nations League final. This is Spain's first quarterfinal since 2010, when they went on to win the whole tournament, a parallel that's been noted repeatedly this week.

Belgium have been genuinely dangerous going forward, capped by a 4-1 demolition of the USA in the Round of 16 in which Charles De Ketelaere scored twice. But that win came at a real cost: Amadou Onana suffered a torn ACL midway through the first half and is out for the rest of the tournament, a significant blow to Belgium's midfield. There's a silver lining, though — Kevin De Bruyne, who was deliberately rested for that entire USA match as a squad-management decision, is expected to return here, giving Rudi Garcia's side their most creative outlet back for the biggest test of the tournament so far.

This will be the 23rd all-time meeting between these nations, with Spain leading 12-5. Their only two prior World Cup meetings both went to Spain's disadvantage or narrowly in their favor: a 1-1 draw in the 1986 quarterfinal that Belgium won on penalties, and a 2-1 Spain win in the 1990 group stage. Tactically, this comes down to whether Spain's suffocating midfield control (Rodri, Pedri, Olmo) can contain a Belgium side built to hit quickly and directly through De Bruyne and Doku on the counter.

🩺 Team News & Injuries

📋 Predicted Lineups

📊 Key Stats & Head-to-Head

⭐ Best Bets — FanDuel

All odds FanDuel Sportsbook · 3-Way Moneyline (90 min): Spain -160 / Draw +290 / Belgium +460 · 2 Up Early Payout: Spain -170 / Draw +290 / Belgium +410 · To Qualify (reg+ET+pens): Spain -325 / Belgium +250 · Anytime Goalscorer (top of board): Oyarzabal +120, Yamal +155, Ferran Torres +175, N.Williams +210, Merino +260, Lukaku +280, Olmo +280, Baena +290 · To Score or Assist: Yamal -145, Oyarzabal -125, Ferran Torres -105, N.Williams +100, Merino +135 · Player 1+ SOT: Yamal -475, Oyarzabal -425, Ferran Torres -330, N.Williams -240, Merino -195 · First Goalscorer: Oyarzabal +400, Yamal +490, Ferran Torres +550, N.Williams +650, Merino +800, No Goalscorer +1400 · Correct Score: Spain 1-0 +650, Draw 0-0 +1300, Belgium 0-1 +1500, Spain 2-0 +700, Draw 1-1 +650, Belgium 0-2 +3000, Spain 2-1 +650, Draw 2-2 +1400, Belgium 1-2 +1600, Spain 3-0 +1200 · BTTS Yes -136 / No +108 · O/U 1.5: -430 / +320 · O/U 2.5: -130 / +106 · O/U 3.5: +205 / -260 · Amadou Onana confirmed out for the tournament with a torn ACL · Kevin De Bruyne expected to return after being rested vs USA · No injuries reported for Spain · SoFi Stadium, Inglewood CA · Tomorrow, Friday July 10, kickoff 3:00 PM ET · FOX/Telemundo · Winner faces France/Morocco winner in the Semifinal · Must be 21+ · Gambling Problem? 1-800-GAMBLER