Wales and Belgium go head-to-head in a crucial FIFA World Cup qualifier on Monday night at Cardiff City Stadium.
Both sides will be searching for vital points in Group J that will push them towards automatic qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Wales vs Belgium – Match Preview and Team News
- Date: 13th October, Monday.
- Kick-off: 7:45pm BST.
- Venue: Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff.
Wales Team News
There are no fresh injury concerns for Wales after their loss against England at Wembley. Craig Bellamy is expected to tinker with his defence following the England clash, potentially bringing Chris Mepham into the starting lineup. Ben Davies is set to reach a major milestone if he appears for Wales, earning his 100th international cap and becoming the fourth Welshman to achieve this feat. The Tottenham defender will join the ranks of Gareth Bale, Chris Gunter, and Wayne Hennessey in reaching three figures for his country.
Meanwhile, Ronan Kpakio appears set to remain on the bench for now, as Neco Williams is favoured to start at right-back. Both Aaron Ramsey and Daniel James are sidelined with injuries and will miss out.
Belgium Team News
There are no new injury concerns for Belgium as well, but the team must be frustrated after being held to a goalless draw with North Macedonia, which kept Belgium at second place in the group.
Rudi Garcia might alter the lineup as well for this match, particularly in the attacking area after wasting chances against the Macedonia squad. Lois Openda or Mitchy Batshuayi could get the nod to start up front. Leandro Trossard filled that position against North Macedonia in the absence of the injured Romelu Lukaku. Charles De Ketelaere remains sidelined due to injury.
Form
Wales
Craig Bellamy’s side comes into this fixture on the back of a disappointing 3-0 defeat to England at Wembley Stadium. The Dragons conceded three goals within the first 20 minutes in what Bellamy described as a necessary learning experience before this crucial qualifier.
Before the England friendly, Wales had shown promising form in World Cup qualifying, securing a 1-0 victory over Kazakhstan through Kieffer Moore’s 24th-minute strike. They also recorded impressive wins over Liechtenstein earlier in the campaign.
Bellamy’s unbeaten run as Wales manager came to an end with recent defeats, but the former Liverpool striker remains confident his team will bounce back for this vital encounter.
Belgium
The Red Devils were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by North Macedonia on Friday night, despite dominating the match with 25 shots to their opponents’ three. Belgium generated over three expected goals but failed to find the back of the net for the first time in seven outings.
Before the Macedonia stalemate, Garcia’s side had been in excellent form, recording 6-0 victories over both Liechtenstein and Kazakhstan. Jeremy Doku scored twice in the Kazakhstan rout, while the team had been averaging nearly three goals per game in qualifying.
Belgium’s away form has been less convincing, with just one victory in their last 10 matches on the road. This could prove crucial as they travel to face a Wales side desperate for points on home soil.
Predicted Lineups
Wales: Darlow; Williams, Rodon, Davies, Dasilva; Ampadu, Cullen; Brooks, Wilson, Johnson; Moore.
Belgium: Courtois; Castagne, Debast, Theate, De Cuyper; Raskin, Onana; Saelemaekers, De Bruyne, Doku; Openda.
How to Watch Wales vs Belgium?
UK fans can watch the game live on BBC One Wales, BBC Three, and S4C.
Read Also – The five most capped footballers of the 21st century
See More – Neom plot different route to Saudi Pro League success
