JAKARTA, JOURNALARTA.COM – Belgium failed to break Iran’s defense. The score stayed 0-0 for the full 90 minutes at Los Angeles Stadium, Inglewood, California, on Sunday (21/6/2026) local time, or Monday, June 22 at 02:00 a.m. WIB.
The goalless draw was a mild surprise in Group G of the 2026 World Cup. Belgium, the world No. 3 in the FIFA rankings, could not get past Iran in their opening match. Both sides took one point, but the margin for error now feels thin in a tournament played under the expanded 48-team format.
A Match That Stalled
The first half produced no goals. Belgium tried to build from the back, but Iran kept the lines compact and denied space. The Persian defense was well organized, with few openings for Belgium’s buildup to progress cleanly through midfield.
The second half did not change much. Iran stayed pragmatic and looked for chances on the break. Belgium had more possession, but the final ball never quite arrived. The 70,492 fans at Los Angeles Stadium watched a tactical battle instead of a goal-filled spectacle.
Note: official FIFA statistics for shots on target, possession, and xG had not yet been released as of June 22, 2026. The 0-0 final score is based on Sportradar data.
Belgium’s First Goalless Opener Since 1998
This was not the kind of record Belgium wanted. The last time the Red Devils failed to score in a World Cup opener was in 1998, when they were held 0-0 by the Netherlands in France. Nearly three decades later, that history repeated itself in the United States.
Belgium are appearing at the World Cup for the 14th time. Expectations remain high, even if their golden generation has passed its peak and the squad is no longer at its absolute best. But on this night, that still was not enough to crack Iran’s resistance.
Iran, by contrast, had reason to be satisfied. This was their sixth World Cup appearance, and a clean sheet against the world’s third-ranked side counts as a real achievement. Their broader record remains bleak: Iran have never advanced beyond the group stage since their first appearance in 1978, but one point on matchday 1 opens up a different equation.
Group G Standings Picture
The 2026 World Cup uses a different format from previous editions. With 48 teams split into 12 groups, the top two sides in each group advance automatically to the round of 32. The eight best third-placed teams across all groups also move on.
That means one point for Iran is not disastrous, but it is far from a guarantee. Goal difference will matter a great deal later in the group stage. For Belgium, the pressure is rising: failing to win on matchday 1 means they must be sharper in their next outing.
| 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 |
Belgium sit first in the group for now based on alphabetical order, with points, goal difference, and goals scored level with Iran. The other two teams in Group G had not yet played as of the June 22, 2026 update.
Head-to-Head and Historical Context
This was the first World Cup meeting between Belgium and Iran. Their only previous encounter came in a 2014 friendly, which Belgium won 1-0. The head-to-head record now stands at one Belgium win, one draw, and no Iran victories.
Iran have a mixed record against European teams at the World Cup: three draws and eight losses from 11 matches. Still, Sunday’s draw deserves recognition as one of their stronger results on football’s biggest stage.
Next Fixtures and How to Watch
FIFA had not yet released the official matchday 2 schedule for Group G as of the June 22, 2026 update. Fans can monitor developments through FIFA’s official website at fifa.com or the FIFA Official app.
For viewers in Indonesia, TVRI holds the official broadcast rights for the 2026 World Cup. Replays of Belgium vs Iran are available on TVRI National in the “Arena Sports Dunia” slot, on TVRI Sport HD in full 90-minute format, and on demand via TVRI Klik (tvriklik.com) under the FIFA World Cup 2026 category.
Time conversion for the next match: Los Angeles PDT is 15 hours behind WIB. A 12:00 p.m. PDT kickoff equals 03:00 a.m. WIB the next day.
Belgium now face the reality that they had not failed to score in a World Cup opener for 28 years until the night in Inglewood ended that run.
To view live scores and schedules, analysis, predictions, game updates, and the latest 2026 World Cup news, visit: JournalArta Special Event https://journalarta.com/piala-dunia-2026/
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