Mexico vs Belgium – News and Probable Lineups

México, co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup, are set to face a challenging matchup on Wednesday as they take on the in-form Bélgica in an international friendly at Soldier Field in Chicago.

El Tri is aiming for their fourth win in five matches, while the Red Devils are looking to secure their third consecutive victory.

Match overview

Javier Aguirre’s México gained automatic qualification for the World Cup by being co-hosts of this year’s event, and they arrive at this encounter following an impressive start to 2026.

After the excitement of their 2-1 Gold Cup victory over the United States last summer had settled, El Tri ended 2025 with a disappointing six-match winless streak, suffering defeats to Colômbia (4-0 on October 12) and Paraguai (2-1 on November 19).

Nevertheless, Aguirre’s squad has quelled some concerns by starting this World Cup year with three wins and a draw in four matches, including a recent 0-0 draw against Portugal, featuring Bruno Fernandes, on Sunday.

Adding to the confidence within the México camp is the fact that their solid defense has not conceded a single goal in 2026, achieving four consecutive clean sheets leading up to Wednesday’s fixture.

However, Bélgica poses arguably the most formidable challenge El Tri have faced since their 3-2 loss to Brasil in June 2024, and given that they have only managed to score more than once in one of their last seven games, Aguirre’s defense will need to be at their peak to secure a win this midweek.

On the other hand, Rudi Garcia’s Bélgica is among the most formidable national teams at present, entering this match unbeaten for over a year.

This past Saturday, the Red Devils followed their 7-0 drubbing of Liechtenstein on November 18 with an impressive comeback to defeat the USA 5-2.

Centre-back Zeno Debast equalized following Weston McKennie’s opening goal just before halftime, and a second-half barrage led by Amadou Onana, Charles De Ketelaere, and a brace from Dodi Lukebakio rounded off the scoring.

This victory marked Bélgica’s first match of 2026 and set a positive tone for the year as Garcia’s team went through European qualifiers unbeaten, securing five wins and three draws to top group J while defeating País de Gales.

Another win on Wednesday would bolster the Red Devils’ efforts as they seek to maintain their momentum into this summer’s tournament, where they hope to rectify their disappointing group-stage exit from the 2022 edition in Catar.

Team News

México will be missing captain Edson Alvarez due to a knee injury sustained in February. Though he is anticipated to be fit for the World Cup, Erik Lira may take his place alongside Roberto Alvarado and Obed Vargas in midfield for this match.

In attack, veteran Raul Jimenez is expected to lead the line once more, potentially assisted by Alvaro Fidalgo from Real Betis and Brian Gutierrez from Chivas.

For Bélgica, Leandro Trossard is among several Arsenal players who will not participate, so a trio of Jeremy Doku, Kevin De Bruyne, and Alexis Saelemaekers is likely to support Atalanta’s Charles De Ketelaere.

At the other end, Manchester United’s Senne Lammens should have a defensive partnership comprising Zeno Debast from Sporting Lisbon and Brandon Mechele from Club Brugge in front of him.

Additionally, Amadou Onana from Aston Villa and Nicolas Raskin from Rangers will aim to provide support for the four-man frontline from a deeper midfield position.

México probable starting XI:

Rangel; Reyes, Montes, Vasquez, Gallardo; Alvarado, Lira, Vargas; Fidalgo, Jimenez, Gutierrez

Bélgica probable starting XI:

Lammens; Meunier, Debast, Mechele, De Cuyper; Raskin, Onana; Saelemaekers, De Bruyne, Doku; De Ketelaere

México has made a solid start to 2026, and their defensive capabilities suggest that the confrontation on Wednesday could be tightly contested.

However, Bélgica continues its strong form from 2025, and they may pose too significant a challenge for El Tri this midweek.