Belgium set for coaching change as Rudi Garcia contract will not be renewed

Rudi Garcia will step down as Belgium manager at the end of July after the Royal Belgian FA chose not to renew his contract. His tenure ends after Belgium reached the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals, where they lost 2-1 to eventual champions Spain.

Garcia took over in January 2025 after Domenico Tedesco and guided the team through an uneven World Cup campaign. Belgium won only once in the group stage, then advanced with a late 3-2 comeback against Senegal before beating the United States 4-1.

Royal Belgian FA sports director Vincent Mannaert credited Garcia with helping rebuild cohesion during a difficult period and thanked him and his staff for their work. The federation is now preparing what it describes as a new cycle, including the appointment of a new head coach.

The decision leaves Belgium balancing short-term progress against the need for a longer-term plan. Garcia’s spell produced a quarter-final finish, but the FA’s choice suggests it wants a different direction for the next phase.