Belgium announce squad for 2026 World Cup qualifiers against North Macedonia & Wales; Kevin De Bruyne included

Rajarshi has been part of Khel Now since 2022, and he covers world football.

Published at :October 3, 2025 at 9:54 PM

Modified at :October 3, 2025 at 9:54 PM

Belgium announce squad for October international break; Kevin De Bruyne left out

The Red Devils will hope to book a direct place in the competition.

Due to injuries to important players, Belgium have called up seasoned midfielder Axel Witsel. Witsel’s leadership is sought by coach Rudi Garcia for the World Cup qualifying matches against Wales and North Macedonia.

For the forthcoming World Cup qualifying matches against North Macedonia and Wales, team coach Rudi Garcia highlighted Witsel’s leadership and adaptability, underscoring the demand for seasoned players to support stars like Thibaut Courtois and Kevin De Bruyne.

Thibaut Courtois Real Madrid LaLiga — Thibaut Courtois is called up as usual, while Manchester United’s Senne Lammens will also look to prove a point or two (Courtesy: LaLiga Content Hub)

Amadou Onana also makes a comeback following a hamstring injury, and goalie Senne Lammens returns after sitting out in June.

Charles De Ketelaere, a forward who was injured and missed Atalanta’s Champions League victory over Club Brugge on Tuesday, was also retained in the team.

With 10 points from four matches, Belgium are one point below North Macedonia, who have appeared in five games. Wales have ten points as well, but only from four games in Group J of the European qualifiers.

Next Friday, Belgium will play North Macedonia in Ghent. Three days later, they will travel to Cardiff to play Wales.

Belgium squad for October matches

Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Senne Lammens (Manchester United), Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest), Maarten Vandevoort (RB Leipzig)

Defenders: Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Zeno Debast (Sporting), Maxim De Cuyper (Brighton), Koni De Winter (AC Milan), Brandon Mechele (Club Brugge), Thomas Meunier (Lille), Joaquin Seys (Club Brugge), Arthur Theate (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne (Napoli), Amadou Onana (Aston Villa), Nicolas Raskin (Rangers), Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge), Charles Vanhoutte (Union St Gillois), Axel Witsel (Girona)

Forwards: Michy Batshuayi (Eintracht Frankfurt), Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta), Jeremy Doku (Manchester City), Malick Fofana (Olympique Lyonnais), Dodi Lukebakio (Benfica), Lois Openda (RB Leipzig), Alexis Saelemaekers (AC Milan), Leandro Trossard (Arsenal)

Squad list is in! 📰 pic.twitter.com/KDNTBllV7u
— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) October 3, 2025

Which group are Belgium in?

They are in group J.

Where do they stand in the table?

They are second in the table with 10 points.

How many qualifier matches have they won?

They have won three out of four.

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Rajarshi Shukla

After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.