Belgium Tops Group G With Big Win Over New Zealand

By the Editorial Team · Saturday, June 27, 2026

Belgium defeated New Zealand 5-1 in Vancouver to claim first place in Group G at the World Cup. This victory eliminated New Zealand from the tournament and set Belgium up to face a third-place team from another group in the knockout stage.

Belgium secured first place in Group G at the World Cup with a commanding 5-1 victory over New Zealand in Vancouver. After a slow start, the Belgian team found its rhythm, led by Leandro Trossard, who contributed two goals in the match. Additional goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, and Alexis Saelemaekers rounded out the scoring for Belgium.

New Zealand's sole goal came from Elijah Just, but the team was unable to overcome Belgium’s dominance. The Kiwis needed a win to maintain any hope of advancing to the knockout stage, but the result ended their run in the tournament.

With this win, Belgium topped the group standings and will face a third-place finisher from another group in the knockout round. Their next match is scheduled for Wednesday in Seattle.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.