The 2026 World Cup has reached its most ruthless phase, and few last-eight ties carry as much weight as this one. Spain, the European champions and one of the bookmakers’ favourites, run into a resurgent Belgium at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, with a place in the semifinals on the line. It is a rematch four decades in the making — and the winner already knows exactly who is waiting for them. Here is everything you need: when it kicks off, where to watch it in the US, UK, Spain, Belgium, the Middle East, India, Bangladesh and beyond, how both sides got here, and what comes next.
When Is Spain vs Belgium? Date, Time and Venue
Spain vs Belgium is the final quarterfinal of the tournament’s opening last-eight day, staged at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Los Angeles — the venue FIFA officially lists as Los Angeles Stadium. Kickoff is at 12:00 PM local (Pacific) time on Friday, July 10, 2026, which is 19:00 GMT.
Because the match is anchored to a North American afternoon window, kickoff lands in the evening across Europe, late night in the Gulf, and in the small hours across South Asia. Here’s how the start time converts:
| Region | Local Kickoff | Day |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles (PT) | 12:00 PM | Fri, July 10 |
| New York (ET) | 3:00 PM | Fri, July 10 |
| UK (BST) | 8:00 PM | Fri, July 10 |
| Madrid / Brussels (CEST) | 9:00 PM | Fri, July 10 |
| UAE (GST) | 11:00 PM | Fri, July 10 |
| India (IST) | 12:30 AM | Sat, July 11 |
| Bangladesh (UTC+6) | 1:00 AM | Sat, July 11 |
Where to Watch Spain vs Belgium: Full Regional Guide
Every one of the tournament’s 104 matches is being broadcast worldwide, but the exact channel, streaming app and language depend heavily on where you are. Here’s the breakdown region by region.
United States
American viewers get the match on FOX in English, kicking off at 3:00 PM ET. Spanish-language coverage runs on Telemundo, with Universo carrying overflow windows. For streaming, FOX One carries every match (in 4K), while Peacock handles the Spanish-language feed from Telemundo.
United Kingdom
UK fans watch for free. BBC and ITV split this World Cup between them, and Spain vs Belgium is a BBC pick — live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 8:00 PM BST. No subscription or pay-TV package is required, though a TV Licence is needed to watch live or use iPlayer. Radio coverage is available on BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT.
Spain
Back home, La Roja’s run is being shown free-to-air on public broadcaster RTVE, with a prime 9:00 PM CEST kickoff. RTVE’s digital platform carries the live stream for viewers on the move, guaranteeing a massive domestic audience for a potential place in the last four.
Belgium
Belgium’s coverage is split along the country’s language lines. RTBF carries the match for French-speaking Wallonia, while VRT serves Dutch-speaking Flanders, both at 9:00 PM CEST. Each broadcaster offers a companion streaming option through its own app and website.
United Arab Emirates & the Middle East
Across the UAE and the wider Middle East and North Africa region, beIN Sports holds the rights, with kickoff at 11:00 PM GST. Matches are available on beIN’s TV channels and via its beIN Connect / TOD streaming service, with Arabic and English commentary options.
India
India secured its broadcaster only in the final weeks before the tournament, with the rights going to the Zee network. Matches air on Zee’s sports channels, with digital streaming on ZEE5. For Indian fans, this one is a 12:30 AM IST start on Saturday — most World Cup 2026 matches fall late at night local time.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh is one of the simpler markets, with a free-to-air route and full streaming coverage after a three-channel consortium bought the rights directly from FIFA.
- TV: BTV (state-owned, free-to-air, Bengali commentary), T Sports (dedicated sports channel via cable/satellite) and Somoy TV (private satellite channel) all carry every match.
- OTT / Streaming: Toffee (Banglalink) holds digital rights to all 104 matches in HD — free for Banglalink users on eligible 30-day bundles, or via a tournament pass of roughly Tk 99–129. Bioscope+ (Grameenphone, through MyGP and Skitto) and My Robi offer additional streaming options.
Kickoff is 1:00 AM on Saturday, July 11 in Dhaka. A tip: a full overnight match over mobile data can burn several gigabytes, so lock onto Wi-Fi before the whistle.
Watching Elsewhere
Other major markets have their own free and paid routes: Canada on CTV and TSN (English) plus TVA Sports and RDS (French); Australia free on SBS and SBS On Demand; Germany on ARD/ZDF with Magenta streaming; Italy on RAI; and Brazil free via CazéTV on YouTube. Al Jazeera Sport also runs global build-up and live commentary. If you’re travelling, a VPN can help you reach your usual home broadcaster around geo-restrictions.
How Spain Reached the Quarterfinal
Spain have looked less flashy than fearsome. Luis de la Fuente’s side topped their group unbeaten before grinding through the knockouts, and their calling card has been an almost inhuman defensive record — they became the first team in World Cup history to keep six consecutive clean sheets.
- Round of 32: A composed 3-0 win over Austria.
- Round of 16: A tense 1-0 victory over Portugal, settled by a Mikel Merino strike in the 91st minute — a goal that ended Cristiano Ronaldo’s final World Cup bid.
With Lamine Yamal and Alex Baena stretching defences wide, Rodri and Pedri controlling midfield, and a back line that refuses to break, Spain arrive as favourites. The Opta supercomputer gives them a 59.3% chance of winning in regulation, against Belgium’s 18.3%.
How Belgium Reached the Quarterfinal
Belgium, by contrast, have been all drama and firepower. The Red Devils also won their group, then produced two of the tournament’s most talked-about knockout performances.
- Round of 32: A stunning comeback from 2-0 down to eliminate Senegal.
- Round of 16: An emphatic 4-1 demolition of co-hosts USA in Seattle, with Charles De Ketelaere scoring twice in arguably the most complete display by any surviving team.
Kevin De Bruyne is pulling the strings again and the attack is humming. The one significant blow: midfielder Amadou Onana is out for the rest of the tournament with a torn ACL, forcing a reshuffle in front of the back four.
Head-to-Head: Spain vs Belgium World Cup History
The two nations have met only twice on this stage, and honours are dead even — which makes Friday feel like a decider four decades overdue.
| Year | Round | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Quarterfinal | Belgium won 5-4 on penalties |
| 1990 | Group Stage | Spain won 2-1 |
This is Belgium’s third quarterfinal in four World Cups. For Spain, the last eight has historically been a stumbling block — they’ve cleared it only twice, most memorably en route to lifting the trophy in 2010.
What’s Next: The Semifinal Awaits
There’s no mystery about the reward. The winner of Spain vs Belgium advances to Semifinal 1, where France — already through after beating Morocco 2-0 on Thursday thanks to goals from Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé — will be waiting.
- Fixture: Winner of Spain/Belgium vs France
- Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2026
- Venue: AT&T Stadium (Dallas Stadium), Arlington, Texas
- Kickoff: 3:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM BST / 1:00 AM Wednesday, July 15 in Bangladesh
The victor of that semifinal reaches the Final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, while the loser drops into the third-place playoff in Miami on July 18.
Final Verdict
On paper, this is the most evenly matched quarterfinal left — a clash of styles between Spain’s suffocating control and Belgium’s explosive counter-punching. Spain’s record-breaking defence and structure make them deserved favourites, and the numbers back that up. But Belgium have already shown they can come from behind and blow good teams away, and with De Bruyne conducting, they will make Spain earn every inch. Expect a cagey, tactical contest that Spain edges — though a Belgian upset would surprise no one. Wherever you’re watching, from an 8 PM slot in London to a 1 AM alarm in Dhaka, this is one worth staying up for, because a heavyweight semifinal against France is the prize.
