Another exciting match awaits at the 2026 World Cup as Spain and Belgium battle for a place in the semifinal in a match between two of the highest-ranked teams remaining in the tournament.
Spain enter this match ranked 3rd in the FIFA World Ranking with 1,912.34 points. They are one spot lower than the June 11 update after advancing to this round by winning Group H with a draw against Cape Verde and victories over Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.
The team improved as the tournament progressed, first beating Austria 3-0 in the Round of 32 before earning a huge 1-0 victory over Portugal with a late goal from Mikel Merino in the quarterfinals.
Belgium’s ranking
It will not be an easy match for Spain because Belgium also arrive with one of the best rankings in the world. Belgium are currently ranked 8th in the FIFA World Ranking with 1,778.36 points, one spot higher than the June 11 update.
Thibaut Courtois leads Belgium in the competition (Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
Their campaign began with a first-place finish in Group G with five points after drawing with Egypt and Iran before beating New Zealand. Belgium then produced a dramatic comeback from 2-0 down to defeat Senegal 3-2 after extra time before a convincing 4-1 victory over the USMNT in the quarterfinals.
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Belgium continue to establish themselves among the strongest national teams in Europe, reaching their highest-ever FIFA ranking of 1st for the first time in 2015, while their lowest position was 71st in 2007.
Spain’s highest ranking
Spain’s place among the world’s best teams has been built over decades of success. They reached the top of the FIFA World Ranking for the first time in 2008 and have returned to 1st on several occasions since, while their lowest position was 25th in 1998.
