2026 World Cup: our posts are working to help ensure a festive tournament

No fewer than seven posts in the United States, Canada, and Mexico stand ready to help ensure the smooth running of the World Cup. This includes not only supporting Belgian fans, but also promoting a positive image of Belgium, assisting Belgian businesses, and, where necessary, extending a warm welcome to Belgian VIPs.

We are once again enjoying some truly exhilarating football moments. All over the world, enthusiastic fans are following their country’s performance at the World Cup. Many people, including Belgians, prefer to watch the matches in person.

This means a great deal of work for our staff in the countries hosting the tournament. We previously reported on how our embassy in Doha handled the last World Cup in Qatar. It's all hands on deck again today.
 

Seven posts

What makes this edition special is that the matches are being hosted across three countries, the United States, Canada and Mexico, and in a wide range of cities. Only the first three matches are certain, in Seattle and Los Angeles in the United States and Vancouver in Canada. For the remaining matches, we will have to wait and see how far our Red Devils progress in the tournament.

Hosting the World Cup across the three countries means that at least six posts, meaning embassies and consulates, must be on standby in Ottawa and Montreal in Canada; Los Angeles, Atlanta, Washington, and New York in the United States; and Mexico City.
 

Consular hubs

The key task is to provide support to Belgian fans attending the matches, estimated at around 2,000 per match. We began by publishing detailed information on our travel advice webpages. We also put in place a contingency plan to prepare for the worst-case scenario. Our posts, together with the Central Administration, work closely with the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) and the federal police, including on the ground in the World Cup host countries.

Since we do not have a post in many of the host cities, including Vancouver and Seattle, two of the three cities confirmed in advance, we will rely on consular hubs provided by the host cities, enabling us to be on site. This allows us to respond quickly to enquiries from Belgians and step in when needed. We will announce the addresses of the hubs on the dedicated World Cup information page.

Mirror tent

During the tournament, we remain available 24/7. We are ready to issue temporary travel documents to Belgian fans who have lost theirs. We also maintain close contact with local authorities so that, for example, we are quickly informed if a Belgian citizen is arrested,

And we strive to help create a festive atmosphere for fans. In Vancouver, for example, we are looking forward to visiting a café run by a fellow countryman. During the tournament, his establishment will be renamed ‘The Belgium House’, where Belgian fans can gather.

In Los Angeles, the meeting place is a classic, stylish mirror tent located about 300 metres from the stadium, an initiative by the RBFA and CineVita. Also on the programme was a fan walk: a group walk to the match. Elsewhere, such as in Seattle, we are organising watch parties where Belgians can gather to watch the match together.
 

Chapultepec Park

Another key aspect of our work is promoting Belgium’s image. After all, a World Cup is the perfect opportunity to showcase our country’s strengths. For example, just before the match in Seattle, we organised an exhibition with billboards showcasing our country in an appealing way. In Renton, where the Red Devils are staying, we put up posters. Whenever possible, our heads of post try to secure coverage in the local press.

Our colleagues are also on standby in Mexico, though it is unlikely that the Red Devils will play there. There, among other things, they are running a Belgian booth at a ‘world village’ organised by Mexico in the popular Chapultepec Park, which is roughly equivalent to Brussels Park. This is an ideal opportunity to promote our country, particularly through leading industrial companies such as AB InBev, Barco, Odoo, and GSK.
 

Agoria Sports Technology

During a World Cup, there is indeed considerable scope for economic diplomacy. After all, many Belgian companies are present there and can rely on our posts to help them build contacts with local businesses and government agencies. For example, Agoria Sports Technology, the federation representing Belgium’s sports and entertainment sector, organised a trip to Seattle from 14 to 16 June for Belgian companies such as Grassmax (the ideal turf!), Waveplus, and Raw Stadia.

The Red Devils’ main sponsors watched the match in Los Angeles on 21 June. Think of Adidas, Lotto, Brussels Airlines, Côte d’Or, ING, Proximus and others. Our Consulate General hosted a reception for them at the official residence.

Finally, our staff are ready to welcome Belgian dignitaries. Should the Red Devils reach the round of 16 and the quarter-finals, visits from the King and ministers would be a possibility. In that case, we could also organise bilateral meetings with politicians and business leaders from other countries.

In short, our six posts across the three host countries are ready for the World Cup. They are there to assist Belgian fans, business leaders, and politicians, and of course the Red Devils themselves. At the time of writing – June 10, 2026 – the football festivities have yet to begin. We are keeping our fingers crossed for a successful tournament filled with excitement and a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.