USA vs. Belgium: World Cup Round of 16 live updates and photos
Yes, Balogun is starting.
Hello from Seattle Stadium, where we’re an hour and a half away from kickoff here between Belgium and USA in the World Cup’s Round of 16.
It’s been a newsy few days in the lead-up to today’s match. We’ll save the Folarin Balogun discourse for the updates and gamer — he’s starting — but until then, here’s a few photos and videos from around the stadium as the city’s final World Cup match of 2026 is set to get underway.
Will be updating with comments throughout today’s match.
4:18 p.m.
It’s hot here at Seattle Stadium, both teams have taken the pitch for warm-ups and the crowd is beginning to get settled.
It’s not quite the same energy as two weeks ago with the Australians in town, but it’s certainly ramping up.
Also: Ran into my old Oregon Ducks beat partern Andrew Greif, whose here covering the Cup for NBC News.
5:09 p.m.
Rough start for the Americans here as Belgium gets on the board first in the ninth minute. Belgium capitalized on a sloppy USA clearance, then quickly picked apart the American back line.
All the boos from the Belgian fans every time Balogun came near the ball quickly turned to cheers.
33rd minute: A wild couple of minutes coming out of the hydration break here. The USA tied the game up on a Tillman free kick from just outside the box that shook the press box here in Seattle, but Belgium responded just a minute later when De Ketelaere potted his second of the game.
It’s 2-1 Belgium.
HALFTIME: Aside from Tillman’s magnificent strike, it was a listless first half for the Americans.
After a month of playing assertive, confident and measured soccer, the Americans were in fits for much of the first half. Belgium had already registered seven shots before USA had its first — on Tillman’s goal — more than 30 minutes into the match. USA was losing 50/50 balls, routinely sending passes directly into its opponents’ feet, and was constantly picked apart on the backline. Both of Belgium’s goals came on shots no more than five feet from the net.
The field began to level after Belgium’s second goal, with the USA feeling Balogun multiple times in first-half stoppage. But ultimately the Americans walked off the field trailing 2-1.
59th: Meltdown time for the USA, who go down 3-1 after Freese misplays a ball leading to an open net.