Lukaku misses Belgium matches against the US and Mexico to focus on fitness, dealing a blow to preparations for the World Cup

Belgium’s all-time leading goalscorer, Romelu Lukaku, will miss his country’s upcoming World Cup warm-up matches in the United States, the Royal Belgian Football Association confirmed on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.

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Head coach Rudi Garcia’s side are scheduled to face the United States in Atlanta on Saturday before taking on Mexico in Chicago on April 1, as part of preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

However, Lukaku has opted out of the fixtures to focus on regaining fitness following a difficult club season with Napoli, where he has struggled for form and playing time.

The 32-year-old striker, who has scored 89 goals in 124 appearances for Belgium, has made just seven appearances across all competitions this season after missing the first half of the campaign through injury.

His absence represents a significant setback for Garcia, who is already without attacking options including Hans Vanaken and Leandro Trossard.

Garcia had earlier indicated that the warm-up matches would provide an opportunity for Lukaku to rebuild match fitness, making the decision to withdraw a notable development ahead of the tournament.

In further changes to the squad, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has also been ruled out after sustaining an injury while playing for Real Madrid.

There is, however, a positive boost for Belgium with the return of Kevin De Bruyne, who rejoins the squad after several months on the sidelines.

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The upcoming fixtures are expected to provide crucial preparation for Belgium as they fine-tune their squad ahead of what promises to be a highly competitive World Cup campaign.