Kazakhstan vs Belgium – Match preview and team news | OneFootball

Belgium travel to Kazakhstan in the World Cup European qualifiers with a chance to seal direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

The Red Devils currently top Group J with 14 points from six matches and sit one point clear of second-placed North Macedonia, with a game in hand.

Kazakhstan vs Belgium – Match preview and team news

Kazakhstan team news

Kazakhstan will be without goalkeeper Aleksandr Zarutskiy of Kairat and Dynamo Moscow winger Bakhtiyar Zaynutdinov. Interim coach Talgat Baysufinov will oversee the side from the touchline after being appointed when Ali Aliyev was sacked earlier in the year.

Chelsea-bound teenager Dastan Satpaev remains the standout prospect in the Kazakhstan squad. The 17-year-old forward, valued at €3 million according to Transfermarkt, played 40 matches this season for Kairat, scoring 18 goals and providing eight assists. Satpaev will join the Premier League club Chelsea in August 2026 in a deal worth €2.4 million.

Belgium team news

Coach Rudi Garcia’s squad faces significant injury concerns ahead of the Kazakhstan clash. Key midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has undergone hamstring surgery and will miss the qualifier. Record goalscorer Romelu Lukaku also remains sidelined with a thigh injury and is unlikely to feature.

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has been ruled out due to an adductor muscle injury sustained during Real Madrid’s goalless draw against Rayo Vallecano. The 33-year-old veteran is expected to be sidelined for 10-12 days. Nottingham Forest’s Matz Sels is set to start between the posts in his absence.

Defender Zeno Debast and forward Malick Fofana are also unavailable through injury. Right-back Thomas Meunier will miss the fixture due to a one-match suspension for accumulated bookings.

Despite the extensive injury list, Belgium boast considerable depth. Captain Youri Tielemans has recovered from injury and returned to the squad after making a comeback for Aston Villa in the Europa League on Thursday. Coach Rudi Garcia has handed first international calls to Romeo Vermant and Kylian Ngoy following the injury crisis.

“As everyone knows, there are quite a few injured players in the squad,” Garcia stated at his pre-match press conference on Friday, “but Vermant and Ngoy have both proven at their clubs that they are worthy of selection.”

Form

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan’s campaign in Group J has proven increasingly difficult. With seven points from seven matches, they have mathematically been eliminated from qualification contention and cannot finish in the top two. They currently occupy fourth place in the group standings.

Belgium

Rudi Garcia’s side has demonstrated strong form throughout their World Cup qualifying campaign. Belgium have showcased impressive attacking prowess with 21 goals across their six qualifying matches, averaging 3.5 goals per game. Most notably, they demolished Kazakhstan 6-0 in the reverse fixture in September, with Kevin De Bruyne scoring twice and Jeremy Doku netting twice as well.

The Red Devils’ only dropped points in this campaign came against North Macedonia, with both meetings ending in draws—a 1-1 and a 0-0 result. Belgium have kept three clean sheets in their last four World Cup qualifiers and have conceded just six goals throughout their qualifying campaign.

Predicted lineups

Kazakhstan: Seysen; Kairov, Kasym, Alip, Vorogovskiy; Zhukov, Karaman; Sviridov, Samorodov, Chesnokov; Satpayev.

Belgium: Sels; Castagne, Debast, Theate, De Cuyper; Onana, Tielemans; Saelemaekers, De Ketelaere, Doku; Trossard.

How to watch Kazakhstan vs Belgium?

The match will be broadcast live in the UK on TNT Sports.

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