The United States Men’s National Team lost 4-1 to Belgium in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, ending its run on home soil. Co-hosting the tournament was supposed to be the moment American soccer arrived on the global stage. Instead, the team packed its bags before the quarterfinals.
This was the USMNT’s fourth Round of 16 elimination in the last five World Cups it has participated in, a streak broken only by the team’s failure to even qualify for the 2018 tournament in Russia. Charles De Ketelaere scored twice for Belgium in the match.
A historic format, a familiar ending
The 2026 World Cup is the first to feature 48 teams, expanding from the traditional 32-team bracket. The tournament is co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico.
The USMNT actually won three matches in a single World Cup for the first time in its history, a milestone that felt significant at the time. But European opposition has been a consistent wall for this program, and Belgium proved it once again.
