Belgium end 24-year opening-match winning run

Belgium failed to win their opening World Cup match for the first time in 24 years after drawing 1-1 with Egypt in their 2026 tournament opener.

The result ended a run that had stretched back to 2002, when Belgium were held 2-2 by Japan in their first match of the competition.

Since then, Belgium had won each of their opening fixtures. They came from behind to beat Algeria 2-1 in Brazil in 2014, then started Russia 2018 with a 3-0 victory over Panama in Sochi.

At Qatar 2022, Michy Batshuayi’s lone goal gave Belgium a 1-0 win over Canada. That campaign, however, ended in the group stage, their only World Cup in recent years not to carry them into the knockout rounds.