Belgium's national soccer team, the Red Devils, kicked off their 2026 World Cup campaign this week against New Zealand. But from the top of Belgium's federal government, there has been near-silence.

Prime Minister Bart De Wever, who leads the Flemish nationalist New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) party and assumed office after a 234-day government formation process following the June 2024 election, has expressed almost no public support for the national team. This contrasts sharply with leaders in neighboring countries that also qualified for the tournament: the Netherlands, Germany, and France have all publicly backed their squads.

What the Left Is Saying

Critics argue De Wever's silence represents a failure to embrace Belgian national identity at a moment when the country could rally around its team. Francophone politicians and progressive parties say moments like a World Cup offer rare opportunities for unity in a nation divided along linguistic lines.

In 2015, after Belgium reached No. 1 in the FIFA world rankings, Francophone Socialist Party leader Laurette Onkelinx asked the Chamber of Representatives to applaud the team. Every party joined in — except the N-VA. That decision drew criticism then and remains a point of contention for those who believe federal leaders should represent all Belgians.

Belgian soccer officials have emphasized that the national team represents citizens from across linguistic communities, with players from Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels wearing the same jersey.

"Belgium's diversity is its strength," read one official statement from the Belgian Football Association. "Our national team embodies what Belgium can achieve when it works together."

What the Right Is Saying

Supporters of De Wever argue that his approach reflects authentic political beliefs rather than performative nationalism. A Belgian official told POLITICO: "The prime minister is not a soccer fan, so he doesn't seek to project that image publicly. To do otherwise would not be authentic."

Flemish media have reported that the prime minister has little personal interest in soccer. In a podcast appearance several years ago, De Wever said the sight of people "going totally crazy in a group in the stands" left him feeling "ice cold."

The N-VA has long advocated for transforming Belgium into a looser confederal state with greater autonomy for Flanders. For politicians with that ideological background, overt displays of Belgian national unity may conflict with core principles about regional identity and self-determination.

During Euro 2016, the N-VA denied rumors that it instructed ministers and MPs to avoid publicly celebrating the Red Devils so as not to appear too Belgian.

What the Numbers Show

Belgium's political fragmentation is measurable. The June 2024 federal election resulted in no single camp approaching a majority, forcing a government formation that took 234 days — one of the longest periods on record for any OECD democracy.

Flemish nationalism has grown steadily. Polling data shows support for Flemish independence has hovered around 30-40 percent in Flanders over the past decade, with N-VA consistently polling as one of Belgium's largest parties since 2010.

The 2026 World Cup marks Belgium's 14th appearance in soccer's premier international tournament. The Red Devils reached their peak FIFA ranking of No. 1 in 2015 and finished third at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The Bottom Line

De Wever's silence on the Red Devils reflects both personal preferences and political philosophy. His N-VA party has built its identity around Flemish autonomy rather than Belgian unity, making public displays of national pride philosophically inconsistent with his party's core message.

The prime minister made one of his few World Cup-related comments about Belgium's official tournament song, complaining it contained "not a single word" in Dutch — the language spoken by roughly 60 percent of Belgians. That critique aligned more closely with Flemish cultural advocacy than national team support.

Belgium plays New Zealand on Friday in the group stage. Whether De Wever attends or makes any public statement remains to be seen. His office has not announced plans for a prime ministerial appearance at the match.