Belgium’s national football team has secured its spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup by defeating Liechtenstein 7-0 during the final matchday of Group J.
This marks the Red Devils' seventh consecutive appearance in a major tournament, setting a national record. Previously, the team had qualified for six successive tournaments, from the 1982 World Cup to the 2002 World Cup.
The current record-breaking streak began with the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, followed by Euro 2016 in France, the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Euro 2020, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and last year’s European Championship in Germany.
Prior to that, Belgium’s previous best was four consecutive appearances between 1980 and 1986, which included a second-place finish at Euro 1980 and a fourth-place finish at the 1986 World Cup.
The team endured a long drought of participation before Brazil 2014, having missed out on five major tournaments after the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.
In terms of European football history, Germany holds the record for consecutive appearances in major tournaments. Since the 1968 European Championship, it has not missed a single event and will be participating in its 33rd straight tournament at the World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
For the Red Devils, the 2026 World Cup will be their fourth in a row and their 15th overall. However, this still falls short of the Belgian record of six consecutive World Cup appearances achieved between 1982 and 2002.
