World Cup 2026 | Group G, Matchday 2
Sunday, June 21, 2026 — 3:00 p.m. ET | SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
Watch in Canada: CTV, TSN, TSN+ | En français: RDS
After one of the most balanced opening rounds the World Cup has ever produced, Group G sits in a dead heat. Belgium, Iran, Egypt and New Zealand are all locked on a single point, separated by nothing but alphabetical order and goal difference. Sunday’s clash between Belgium and Iran at SoFi Stadium is the match that could finally blow the group open — or leave it tangled heading into a chaotic final matchday.
For Canadian fans who watched our own squad earn a hard-fought point against Mexico on Matchday 1, this one is worth circling on the schedule. It kicks off at 3:00 p.m. ET, right in the middle of your Sunday afternoon — and the tactical chess match between two desperate sides promises to be compelling viewing.
How They Got Here
Belgium’s opener in Seattle was a cautionary tale about complacency at the highest level. Rudi Garcia’s side controlled possession against Egypt but found themselves trailing after Emam Ashour uncorked a stunning 20-yard strike in the 19th minute. The Red Devils looked flat until Garcia made the decisive move: bringing on Romelu Lukaku in the 66th minute. Twenty-two seconds later — yes, 22 seconds — Lukaku’s presence in the box caused enough chaos for Mohamed Hany to put the ball into his own net off a Thomas Meunier cross. Belgium pressed for a winner that never came, settling for 1-1.
Iran’s story ran even deeper. Playing under the shadow of the ongoing U.S.–Iran conflict, with 11 non-playing officials blocked from entering the country and training camp relocated to Mexico due to visa complications, Team Melli took the pitch at the very same SoFi Stadium where they’ll play Sunday. They twice fell behind to Motherwell forward Elijah Just’s brace, but twice clawed their way back — Ramin Rezaeian equalizing just after the half-hour with a scavenger’s finish, and Mohammad Mohebbi heading Rezaeian’s pinpoint cross in off the far post in the second half to earn a 2-2 draw. The resilience was unmistakable.
What to Watch For
Kevin De Bruyne vs. Iran’s midfield block. The 34-year-old Manchester City maestro hit the outside of the post with a free kick against Egypt and generated Belgium’s first shot on target, but he was largely contained in the first half. Iran will sit deeper and more compact than Egypt did, aiming to cut off the supply lines to the front three. If De Bruyne can find pockets between the lines, Belgium will create chances. If Iran can press him into wide areas and slow passing lanes, they’ll have a chance to frustrate the Red Devils the same way they absorbed pressure from New Zealand before striking on the counter.
Lukaku’s starting role. After his jaw-dropping 22-second cameo against Egypt, the question isn’t whether Lukaku starts on Sunday — it’s how his presence changes Belgium’s entire shape from the opening whistle. Garcia may have learned the hard way that holding back his all-time leading scorer is a luxury he can’t afford in a group this tight.
Iran’s set-piece threat. Both of Iran’s goals against New Zealand came from well-worked deliveries into the box. Rezaeian was involved in everything dangerous for Team Melli — a goal and an assist — and his crossing from the right flank could cause problems for a Belgian back line that looked vulnerable to direct service against Egypt.
The atmosphere. Los Angeles is home to one of the largest Iranian diaspora communities in the world. The crowd at Iran’s opener against New Zealand exceeded 70,000, and the atmosphere was electric — and politically charged. Expect a wall of noise on Sunday that could give Iran a near-home-field edge that few other teams at this tournament will enjoy.
The Bigger Picture
For Belgium, this is about more than Group G. After their humiliating group-stage exit in Qatar 2022, this squad has something to prove. De Bruyne, Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois and Youri Tielemans are all on the wrong side of 30, and everyone in the Belgian camp knows this is likely the golden generation’s last ride. A second draw would keep them alive, but a loss here — to a side that has never advanced past the group stage in seven World Cup appearances — would be catastrophic.
For Iran, the calculus is simpler and more liberating. They have nothing to lose. A draw keeps them in the mix. A win, and they’d be on the verge of making history by reaching the knockout rounds for the first time. Everything about their tournament so far — the off-field turmoil, the visa battles, the twice-from-behind comeback against New Zealand — suggests a squad that feeds off adversity.
Prediction
Belgium have the superior squad depth, the bigger names, and the tactical flexibility to break down a compact defence — but they need to show it from the first minute, not the 66th. Iran will make this uncomfortable, will sit deep, will look for Rezaeian to deliver from wide areas, and will ride the energy of a raucous pro-Iran crowd in LA.
Look for Belgium to control possession without creating many clear-cut chances in the first half, before Lukaku and De Bruyne combine to break the deadlock after the break. Iran won’t go quietly — they showed against New Zealand that they can fight their way back into any match — but Belgium’s bench depth and big-game experience should tell in the end.
Final score: Belgium 2, Iran 1.
Belgium take the three points and move into pole position to qualify from Group G. Iran’s hopes come down to their final matchday against Egypt, where they’ll need a result to keep their historic knockout-stage dream alive.
Sunday’s full Group G schedule for Canadian viewers — all times Eastern:
- Tunisia vs. Japan — 12:00 p.m. ET
- Spain vs. Saudi Arabia — 12:00 p.m. ET
- Belgium vs. Iran — 3:00 p.m. ET
- Uruguay vs. Cabo Verde — 6:00 p.m. ET
- New Zealand vs. Egypt — 9:00 p.m. ET
All matches available on CTV, TSN, and TSN+. French-language coverage on RDS.