Belgium v Iran – predictions and odds – 2026 World Cup (21/06/2026)

Group G is one of the groups in the 2026 World Cup that has started with the four contenders very evenly matched. Neither Belgium nor Iran managed to beat Egypt or New Zealand, which came as something of a surprise as they were heavy favourites in those matches. It is well known that the ‘Red Devils’ golden generation is now a thing of the past, but they still have players of such calibre that they should be able to dominate this fixture and the group. We will see what solid foundations they can build on to secure the three points and get their campaign back on track.

Rudi Garcia’s side put in a worrying performance on their opening night. With players such as De Bruyne, Doku and Trossard in the squad, you’d expect a team capable of breaking down defences, finding spaces in tight areas and, ultimately, overcoming opponents who sit deep. That wasn’t the case against Salah and co., and the only way they found the net was through a brilliant run by Meunier, setting up Lukaku inside the box (which ultimately led to the own goal). It feels as though there’s a lack of rhythm in midfield and a lack of connection between their key players. Against the Asian side, they’ll once again face a wall to break down, and it doesn’t look as though they’ll find it easy to do so.

It hasn’t been an easy World Cup for the Iranians. Due to the circumstances of the war, they had to move their base to Tijuana and travel from there on match day to the United States, where the fixture is being played. That has surely played a part in their surprising draw against the inexperienced New Zealand side. Bearing in mind that they had the best defence in the Asian qualifiers and kept a clean sheet in many matches, it is surprising that they conceded two goals to Just. The good news is that they did create chances up front, even though their star player, Taremi, wasn’t quite at his best. Given the fragility of the Belgian defence, we believe they can cause damage. They should score at least one goal.

We are therefore in for a closely fought match between two teams that haven’t quite convinced so far and who, to be honest, don’t seem to have much room for improvement given the circumstances. I hope they at least treat us to a good show and that we see some goals at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. We’re backing both teams to score; given their opening matches, this seems quite likely, and the odds offered by the bookmakers are very attractive.