BRUSSELS — Belgium will face Tunisia in an international friendly at King Baudouin Stadium on Saturday, their final preparation match before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The game is scheduled to kick off at 15:00 local time (13:00 GMT), according to the Royal Belgian Football Association. Both teams are using the fixture to fine-tune their squads ahead of the tournament, which begins later in June.
Belgium, ranked ninth in the world by FIFA, will host the match as their last home appearance before traveling to the United States, Canada and Mexico for the World Cup. The Red Devils recently played in Croatia and are seeking to maintain momentum after an unbeaten run in recent friendlies.
Tunisia, ranked 44th, views the encounter as a key test against stronger European opposition. The North Africans have been preparing for their group-stage matches, which include fixtures against the Netherlands, Japan and Sweden.
The two sides last met in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Belgium won that match 5-2. Their most recent friendly encounter was a 1-0 victory for Belgium in 2014.
Belgium coach Rudi Garcia addressed squad fitness concerns ahead of the game. “We must keep our feet on the ground,” he told a press conference on Friday. “We must not rush anything.”
Key players expected to feature for Belgium include goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and forward Romelu Lukaku, who scored in a recent outing against Croatia. Tunisia will rely on defensive organization and midfielders such as captain Ellyes Skhiri.
The friendly comes as both nations finalize their 26-man squads for the World Cup. Details on final selections and any injuries remained subject to official confirmation from the respective federations.
Tickets for the match at the 50,000-capacity King Baudouin Stadium were made available through the Belgian federation’s platform.
No further details on team lineups or tactical setups were released prior to kickoff. The match will serve as the concluding step in Belgium’s home preparations before the tournament.
