Is Christian Pulisic playing? USMNT vs Belgium projected lineups for the 2026 World Cup game

The USMNT and Belgium clash on Monday, July 6th, in the Round of 16 at Seattle Stadium with a spot in the quarterfinals on the line. Ahead of one of the most anticipated games of the 2026 World Cup knockout stage, questions have emerged over the availability of Christian Pulisic.

Pulisic is expected to be in the starting lineup against the Red Devils. Having recovered from his muscle injury and played 88 minutes in the Round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, the AC Milan star is set to feature from the first whistle once again.

The USMNT head into the match on the back of a convincing 2-0 win over Bosnia, a performance made all the more impressive by the adversity they faced. After Folarin Balogun was shown a red card in the 64th minute, the ten-man Americans not only protected their lead but extended it.

Belgium, meanwhile, advanced in dramatic fashion after an extraordinary comeback against Senegal. Trailing 2-0 with time running out, the Red Devils leveled through two late goals in the 86th and 89th minutes before Youri Tielemans converted a penalty in the 125th minute of extra time to complete the turnaround in what stands as the latest goal ever scored in World Cup history.

Balogun’s suspension, the main controversy ahead of the match

Although Balogun was shown a red card against Bosnia, FIFA subsequently announced that his one-game suspension had been overturned. The decision, confirmed just one day before the Belgium match and coming after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly called on FIFA to review the red card, drew sharp criticism from the Belgian federation.

On Monday, FIFA confirmed that Belgium’s challenge to Balogun’s eligibility had been dismissed, clearing the AS Monaco striker to return to Mauricio Pochettino’s lineup and compete for a spot in the quarterfinals.

Projected lineups for the USMNT and Belgium

USMNT’s projected lineup (4-2-3-1): Matt Freese; Alex Freeman, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson; Malik Tillman, Tyler Adams; Sergino Dest, Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic; Folarin Balogun.
Head coach: Mauricio Pochettino.

Belgium’s projected lineup (4-2-3-1): Thibaut Courtois; Thomas Meunier, Brandon Mechele, Arthur Theate, Timothy Castagnel Youri Tielemans, Nicolas Raskin; Leandro Trossard, Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku; Romelu Lukaku.
Head coach: Rudi Garcia.