Senegal vs. Belgium Odds, Picks & Predictions 1/32, July 1

After all the hoopla and the run up, Day 4 of the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup continues with a matchup as Senegal takes on Belgium Wednesday afternoon and we have you covered with our Senegal vs. Belgium prediction. Senegal closed group play with a 5-0 win over Iraq Friday afternoon in their previous contest. Belgium drubbed New Zealand 5-1 in their group play finale their last time out Friday. This marks the first time that the two sides have met in World Cup play. Let’s break down this Senegal vs. Belgium matchup.

Don’t forget to check out all the World Cup odds as the tournament progresses!

Senegal Hoping to Continue Run

Senegal in the World Cup

In 2026, Senegal makes their fourth World Cup appearance this year and their third consecutive appearance. Their best run was that 2002 run when they reached the quarterfinals. Les Lions de la Teranga has an all-time record of six wins, three draws and six losses in World Cup play. Senegal entered the World Cup 15th in the FIFA world rankings. Les Lions de la Teranga finished with a record of one win, no draws and two losses. They were third in Group I but qualified for the knockout rounds as one of the eight best third-place sides.

Senegal Last Match

Against Iraq, Senegal dominated the match and rolled to a one-sided victory. Les Lions de la Teranga owned a 69% to 31% advantage in terms of possession in the match. In addition, Senegal dominated shots on goal by a 12-1 margin while owning a 3.01 to 0.14 margin in expected goals in the match. Habib Diarra got the scoring started in the fourth minute off a feed from Abdoulaye Seck. Meanwhile. Iraq defender Rubin Sulaka earned a red card in the 13th minute, leaving them with 10 men the rest of the way. Neither side seriously challenged the rest of the half, leaving the match 1-0 at intermission.

Senegal took advantage of a worn out Iraq squad in the second half as they piled on offensively. After a couple of missed opportunities, Ismaïla Sarr gave Senegal a 2-0 advantage in the 56th minute following a feed from Lamine Camara. Pape Gueye, almost immediately after coming into the match, made it 3-0 in the 59th minute with Sarr assisting on that marker. Gueye added a second goal in the 71st minute for a 4-0 Senegal advantage with Iliman Ndiaye getting an assist. Ndiaye closed the scoring in the 82nd minute off a feed from Gueye. Mory Diaw projects as the starting keeper for Senegal here. It marks his third career World Cup appearance, second start. He has a record of one win, no draws and no losses with one clean sheet. Édouard Mendy normally is the starting keeper but he is expected to miss this contest.

Belgium Looking for Offense to Carry the Day

Belgium in the World Cup

In 2026, Belgium makes their 15th appearance in the World Cup and their fourth straight. They aim to put their disappointing performance in 2022 behind them. The Red Devils own a record of 22 victories, 12 draws and 20 losses all-time in World Cup action. Belgium entered the World Cup ranked ninth in the FIFA world rankings. The Red Devils finished group play with a record of one win, two draws and no losses. They finished tied for the top spot in Group G with Egypt but finished with a better goal differential (+4 to +2) to win the top seed.

Belgium Last Match

Against New Zealand, Belgium put together a big offensive showing and that proved critical for them to win the group’s top seed. The Red Devils held a 54% to 46% margin in terms of possession in the match. In addition, Belgium rolled up a 10-2 advantage in terms of shots on goal while dominating the expected goals by a 3.65 to 0.24 margin in the match. In the first half, Belgium had a couple early chances, including Leandro Trossard hitting the post in the 12th minute, before breaking through. Trossard ended up breaking the scoreless tie in the 28th minute as he scored from point-blank range. That gave the Red Devils a 1-0 lead, which they took to the half.

In the second half, Belgium continued to assault New Zealand in the offensive end. Trossard scored his second of the match in the 50th minute off an assist from Hans Vanaken for a 2-0 advantage. Kevin De Bruyne added a marker in the 66th minute for a 3-0 advantage for Belgium. After New Zealand got a goal back in the 84th minute, Romelu Lukaku restored the Red Devils’ three-goal margin in the 86th minute for a 4-1 lead. Nicolas Raskin assisted on that marker. Alexis Saelemaekers closed the scoring in the 94th minute as he found the net with Lukaku drawing the assist. Thibaut Courtois makes his 19th career World Cup start between the sticks for the Red Devils here. He has a record of 12 wins, three draws and three losses in those contests. Courtois recorded eight clean sheets in those 18 World Cup starts.

Senegal vs. Belgium Prediction

Both sides had big offensive showings in their group finales, scoring five times. For Senegal, the looming loss of Mendy between the sticks is a big blow for them. Mendy has far more experience than Diaw in World Cup play and that is critical against a team like Belgium. De Bruyne, Trossard and company are a dangerous offensive attack for Belgium. Courtois has more World Cup appearances as a goalkeeper than anyone in history and has the second-most clean sheets to his credit. Senegal is tested after facing France and Norway in group play. The best play is seeing this game level at the end of stoppage time before a decision is reached during extra time.

Our Prediction: Draw (Fanatics, +230)

There are concerns about Lukaku’s status here. He came in as a reserve in the second half against New Zealand and provided a goal plus an assist. If he’s healthy enough to go 90 minutes, Belgium’s offensive attack clicks much more effectively than it did for long stretches against Iran and Egypt in group play. With that said, we know that the Red Devils will push the pace, dominate possession and force Senegal to defend. On the flip side, Senegal can create opportunities of their own and this one has the potential to be higher scoring than most people think. Take the over here.

Our Prediction: Over 2.5 Goals (DraftKings, -105)