World Cup in Seattle: A fan’s guide to the Top 5 stars coming to town
Seattle is hosting four group stage matches in the FIFA World Cup this month, as well as a pair of Round of 32 and Round of 16 knockout stage matches in July.
Wondering which global stars you can see in Seattle? Belgium’s roster highlights the list. While the title-contending window may have passed by the “golden generation” of Belgium’s roster, there will still be plenty of star power on the pitch on Monday when Belgium faces Egypt. The United States also comes to town this week.
These are five of the best players playing in the group stage matches in Seattle.
SCHEDULE
*All times in Pacific Standard Time*
Monday, June 15: Belgium vs. Egypt (Group G), 12 p.m.
Friday, June 19: United States vs. Australia (Group D), 12 p.m.
Wednesday, June 24: Qatar vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina (Group B), 12 p.m.
Friday, June 26: Egypt vs. Iran (Group G), 8 p.m.
TOP FIVE PLAYERS
5. Jérémy Doku, Belgium
Age: 24
Club: Manchester City (England)
The left winger is a matchup issue for defenders with his pace and 1-on-1 ability. Doku has represented Belgium in every youth level since the under-15s and played in the 2022 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2024.
4. Christian Pulisic, United States
Age: 27
Club: AC Milan (Italy)
Nicknamed “Captain America,” Pulisic burst on the national team with the Stars and Stripes as a teenager. He’s the most visible face of the current generation of players, a creative and versatile winger/forward/midfielder who can break defenders down and find the back of the net.
3. Thibaut Courtois, Belgium
Age: 34
Club: Real Madrid (Spain)
Widely regarded as one of the best big-game goalkeepers ever, Courtois has starred for Chelsea in the Premier League and has been with Real Madrid since 2018, where he has won three La Liga titles and a pair of UEFA Champions League titles.
2. Kevin De Bruyne, Belgium
Age: 34
Club: Napoli (Italy)
Considered one of the top players of his generation, the Belgian midfielder was a force to be reckoned with in the decade he spent with Manchester City. He made 422 appearances for City, winning six Premier League titles. Primarily an attacking midfielder, De Bruyne’s vision, skill and technique make him a dangerous playmaker all over the pitch.
1. Mohamed Salah, Egypt
Age: 33
Club: Liverpool (England)
The forward/winger, nicknamed “The Egyptian King,” has been an iconic, lethal goal scorer over his career. Salah, who has played with Liverpool since 2017, is the all-time leading foreign goalscorer (193 goals) in Premier League history. Egypt’s World Cup hopes rely heavily on Mo Salah having a productive tournament.
This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline "World Cup in Seattle: A fan’s guide to the Top 5 stars coming to town."
