Doku, his child's birth and the World Cup: what we actually know

The question remains unresolved: Jérémy Doku could miss a Belgium match at the 2026 World Cup to attend the birth of his first child, but nothing is confirmed at this stage. Yet this hypothetical scenario sparked a major social debate in France, following controversial remarks by journalist France Pierron about a father’s role during childbirth.

The Manchester City winger and his wife Shireen, married in late 2025, announced their pregnancy last March. According to the Belgian press, the delivery is expected for early July. However, Belgium’s group-stage schedule runs until June 27, the date of their third match against New Zealand — with no guarantee of qualification for the knockout stages.

Doku himself had raised the dilemma a few days before the tournament kicked off. “No father would want to miss that. But there’s football and the whole world is watching. I know the federation is paying attention to this and we’ll see what we can do,” he said in La Dernière Heure. Cautious words, in the conditional, announcing no firm decision.

For a return to Europe to be possible, the 24-year-old would need to obtain the agreement of his coach and the Belgian Football Federation. Everything will ultimately depend on the exact date of the delivery and Belgium’s progress in the competition. According to RTL, Doku is following the media controversy with “sadness and dismay”.

Meanwhile, the winger was unavailable Sunday evening during the 0-0 draw against Iran due to respiratory problems that appeared since his arrival in the United States. His fitness is therefore an immediate concern, separate from all the controversy surrounding his name this week.