USA and Belgium are set to battle in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, with a pre-match buildup that has constantly heated up following FIFA’s decision to lift Folarin Balogun’s suspension. Ahead of this highly anticipated matchup that promises multiple emotions at Seattle Stadium in Seattle, Washington, the referees have already been confirmed.
The eyes of the entire world will be on this encounter, which also has confirmed uniforms. Adham Makhadmeh has been designated to referee the match between the United States and Belgium in the tournament’s Round of 16, where a win, loss, or draw can completely change the course of the journey.
Full officiating crew:
- Referee: Adham Makhadmeh (Jordan)
- Assistant Referee 1: Mohammad Alkalaf (Jordan)
- Assistant Referee 2: Ahmad Alroalle (Jordan)
- Fourth Official: Pierre Atcho (Gabon)
- Fifth Official: Boris Ditsoga (Gabon)
- VAR: Khamis Al Marri (Qatar)
- AVAR: Nicolas Gallo (Colombia)
- SVAR: Hernan Mastrangelo (Argentina)
Makhadmeh’s credentials
The Jordanian referee enters this duel—where USA are looking to climb the FIFA rankings—after officiating three matches in the current 2026 World Cup: the 0-0 draw between Spain and Cape Verde, Belgium’s 5-1 victory over New Zealand, and the Round of 32 match where England defeated DR Congo 2-1.
Referee Adham Makhadmeh.
Although this tournament marks his first World Cup appearance, Adham boasts a proven track record in international competitions, including the U-20 World Cup and the Olympic Games.
Additionally, he has developed extensive experience in club and national team tournaments within the AFC confederation, including the Asian Champions League, the Jordanian Pro League, and various World Cup qualifying matches on his continent.
A spicy matchup between USA and Belgium
The matchup arrives with temperatures at an all-time high. This follows FIFA’s last-minute decision to revoke the suspension of Balogun, a key piece for USA that has Mauricio Pochettino celebrating and his teammates clearly defending the decision, as is the case with Christian Pulisic.
On top of the entire situation, there have already been complaints from Rudi Garcia, the coach of Belgium, and the scenario gets even more complicated after United States President Donald Trump admitted he called Gianni Infantino regarding the forward’s expulsion.
