Vancouver, June 27 (IANS) New Zealand and Belgium face a high-pressure Group G encounter in Vancouver on Friday, with both teams needing a victory to boost their chances of reaching the FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 32.
Belgium head into the contest after consecutive draws against Egypt and Iran, while New Zealand have collected just one point from their opening two matches following a draw with Iran and a defeat to Egypt. Anything less than a win could leave both sides relying on other results to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Belgium will be looking for a sharper attacking display after struggling to convert possession into goals so far in the tournament. Experienced stars such as Kevin De Bruyne, Doku, and Charles De Ketelaere are expected to play key roles against a New Zealand side likely to adopt a physical approach and disrupt their rhythm.
With a knockout qualification at stake, both teams have little room for error in what promises to be a fiercely contested clash.
How to watch Belgium vs New Zealand live in India:
Live streaming and live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 football matches will be available on the Zee5 platform and app in India. A subscription will be needed.
Live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be available on the Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD TV channels in India.
Key details:
Date and kick-off time: Saturday, June 27, 8:30 AM IST
Venue: BC Place, Vancouver
Referee: Adham Makhadmeh
Squads:
Belgium-
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Senne Lammens, Mike Penders
Defenders: Timothy Castagne, Zeno Debast, Maxim De Cuyper, Koni De Winter, Brandon Mechele, Thomas Meunier, Nathan Ngoy, Joaquin Seys, Arthur Theate
Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne, Amadou Onana, Nicolas Raskin, Youri Tielemans, Hans Vanaken, Axel Witsel
Forwards: Charles De Ketelaere, Jérémy Doku, Matías Fernández-Pardo, Romelu Lukaku, Dodi Lukebakio, Diego Moreira, Alexis Saelemaekers, Leandro Trossard
New Zealand-
Goalkeepers: Max Crocombe, Alex Paulsen, Michael Woud
Defenders: Tyler Bindon, Michael Boxall, Liberato Cacace, Francis de Vries, Callan Elliot, Tim Payne, Nando Pijnaker, Tommy Smith, Finn Surman
Midfielders: Lachlan Bayliss, Joe Bell, Eli Just, Callum McCowatt, Ben Old, Alex Rufer, Marko Stamenic, Sarpreet Singh, Ryan Thomas
Forwards: Kosta Barbarouses, Jesse Randall, Ben Waine, Chris Wood, Logan Rogerson
–IANS
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