The United States' journey at the 2026 World Cup officially came to an end after suffering a heavy 1-4 defeat to Belgium in the round of 16 match held at Seattle Stadium on Tuesday (7/7) morning WIB.
Belgium's dominance was clear throughout the match thanks to an impressive performance by Charles De Ketelaere, who scored a brace in the 9th and 33rd minutes. Although the Stars and Stripes managed to reduce the deficit through Malik Tillman in the 31st minute, Belgium widened the gap again through Hans Vanaken in the 57th minute and a closing goal from Romelu Lukaku in second-half stoppage time.
This defeat ensures that the United States joins the other two host nations, Canada and Mexico, who were eliminated earlier in the same stage. Previously, Mexico had to concede to England by a narrow 2-3 score on Monday (6/7), while Canada was forced to surrender 0-3 to Morocco the day before.
The elimination of all three hosts extends the bleak record for host nations in the World Cup. Since France last won the title on home soil in the 1998 edition, no host country has been able to lift the prestigious trophy.
This result also highlights the fierce competition in this edition of the tournament, where the strength of European and African powerhouses managed to dampen the grand ambitions of the hosts. With the elimination of the US, Canada, and Mexico, the tournament's focus now shifts entirely to the quarter-finals, which will present crucial matches without any representation from the host nations.
