World Cup: Belgium, Egypt settle for draw in Group G opener

Belgium and Egypt played out a hard-fought 1-1 draw in their opening Group G match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday, leaving both sides with a point as they began their campaign.

The encounter saw both teams create several scoring opportunities in a closely contested affair, with neither side able to gain a decisive advantage.

Belgium, one of the tournament’s traditional heavyweights, dominated possession for large periods, while Egypt relied on swift counterattacks and disciplined defending.

Egypt showed resilience throughout the match and managed to frustrate the Belgian attack, earning a valuable point against one of the favourites in the group. Belgium, meanwhile, will be disappointed not to have converted their chances into a winning start.

The draw leaves Group G finely balanced ahead of the second round of fixtures. Belgium will next face Iran, while Egypt are set to take on New Zealand as both teams seek their first victory of the tournament.

With qualification to the knockout stage at stake, the result ensures that the race for the top spots in Group G remains wide open.