Group G Standings: Belgium Held 0-0 by Iran at World Cup 2026
Belgium vs Iran ended 0-0 in Group G of the 2026 World Cup, leaving both teams on one point after a tight opening match.
JAKARTA — Group G Standings: Belgium Held 0-0 by Iran at World Cup 2026 after Belgium could not find a way through Iran’s compact defense at Los Angeles Stadium, Inglewood, California, on Sunday, June 21, 2026 local time, which was Monday, June 22 at 02:00 a.m. WIB.
The draw handed both teams one point in their opening match, but it also put early pressure on Belgium, the FIFA world No. 3, in a group where every goal may matter. Iran walked away with a clean sheet against a heavyweight. That counts.
Belgium could not break the line
Belgium tried to control the game from the back and kept more of the ball, but Iran stayed disciplined, closed the middle, and forced the Red Devils into slow, predictable circulation. The final pass never quite came.
For long stretches, the match had the feel of a chess game with heavy tackles. Iran did not chase the ball blindly. They held their shape, waited for mistakes, and looked for space when Belgium pushed too many players forward.
The second half followed a similar script. Belgium pressed higher. Iran sat deeper. No breakthrough.
The match ended scoreless after 90 minutes, according to Sportradar data, while official FIFA figures for possession, shots on target, and expected goals had not been released as of June 22, 2026. A crowd of 70,492 watched a tense opener rather than a flurry of chances.
A familiar frustration for Belgium
This was Belgium’s first goalless World Cup opener since 1998, when they were held 0-0 by the Netherlands in France. The gap between those two moments is striking. Nearly three decades later, the Red Devils again started a tournament without a goal.
Belgium are making their 14th World Cup appearance, and expectations remain high even though their celebrated golden generation has moved on. The squad is still strong. Not enough, though, to force Iran open on this night.
Iran, meanwhile, gained a result that should lift confidence. It was their sixth World Cup appearance and a clean sheet against one of the tournament’s most established sides is no small thing. Iran have never gone beyond the group stage since their debut in 1978, but a point at the start changes the mood around their campaign.
Why this draw matters in Group G
The 2026 World Cup uses a 48-team format, with 12 groups. The top two from each group go straight into the round of 32, while the eight best third-placed teams also advance. That gives teams a little more room. Not much.
For Belgium, dropping two points in the opener means less margin for error in the next round of fixtures. For Iran, the point is useful but not enough by itself. Goal difference could decide who stays alive deep into the group stage, especially if the other two teams in Group G start quickly.
Here is the table after the opening result:
| Pos | Team | M | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belgium | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Iran | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Group G Team 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Group G Team 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
History favors Belgium, but only just
This was the first World Cup meeting between Belgium and Iran. Their only previous clash came in a 2014 friendly, which Belgium won 1-0. The head-to-head now stands at one Belgium win, one draw, and no Iran victories.
Iran’s wider record against European teams at the World Cup remains modest: three draws and eight defeats from 11 matches. Sunday’s result will sit near the top of their more encouraging performances on the world stage.
Belgium now need a sharper finish in their next match. Iran, on the other hand, have already shown they can make life awkward for a top-ranked opponent. That is the sort of point that can echo through a short group phase, especially when the knockout path rewards even the smallest edge.
The next Group G schedule had not yet been formally released by FIFA as of the June 22 update, and fans were being directed to fifa.com and the FIFA Official app for updates. In Indonesia, TVRI holds the official broadcast rights for the 2026 World Cup, with replays available through its TV and digital platforms.
Belgium entered the tournament with a ranking edge. Iran left with the same number of points, the same goal difference, and a cleaner defensive story after 90 minutes in Inglewood.
