The 2026 FIFA World Cup is well underway, and the Dutch national team finds itself in the thick of an exciting group stage. After a frustrating opening draw against Japan and an impressive victory over Sweden, the Netherlands are in a strong position in Group F. In this article, we cover everything you need to know about the tournament format, the Dutch team´s road to this World Cup, and their two most recent matches.
The 2026 World Cup: the biggest tournament ever
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is historic in several ways. For the first time ever, 48 nations are taking part in the final tournament, a significant expansion from the previous 32-team format. The event is co-hosted by three countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The opening match took place on June 11 in the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, with the final scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium near New York.
The expansion to 48 teams also brought sweeping changes to the tournament structure. The 48 nations are divided across twelve groups of four teams. The top two from each group advance automatically to the knockout stage, joined by the eight best third-placed teams from across all twelve groups — meaning 32 teams in total progress.
New to this format is the Round of 32, an extra knockout stage that precedes the more familiar Round of 16. It means teams need to win one more match to reach the final, and the group stage is more tense than ever: even finishing third can be enough to stay alive. A total of 104 matches are played across 16 host cities spread throughout North America, with the tournament spanning nearly 40 days.
The Netherlands road to the World Cup
The Netherlands arrived in North America as one of the serious contenders. Under manager Ronald Koeman, the Dutch squad is packed with top-level talent from Europe´s biggest clubs. Players like Virgil van Dijk, Frenkie de Jong, Cody Gakpo, Tijjani Reijnders, and Crysencio Summerville form the backbone of a side that put together a decent run-up to the tournament, even if things weren't always smooth sailing.
The Netherlands were drawn into Group F alongside Japan, Sweden, and Tunisia — a manageable group on paper, though the opening match quickly proved trickier than expected.
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Netherlands vs Japan: a late disappointment (2-2)
On Sunday June 14, the Netherlands opened their group campaign against Japan at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, a result that felt like two dropped points. Virgil van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville scored for the Dutch side, but the team gave away the win in the closing stages when Japan equalized in the 89th minute.
Koeman had no real surprises in his starting lineup. Donyell Malen led the attack, with Summerville also starting from the off. On the Japanese side, Feyenoord players Tsuyoshi Watanabe and Ayase Ueda both started, adding an extra storyline for Dutch fans following the game.
The draw stung. The Netherlands had looked on course for a win but let three points slip away in the final moments. Disappointment was visible in the Dutch camp, though players and staff knew a response was needed — and possible — in the next game.
Netherlands vs Sweden: impressive comeback with a 5-1 win
On Saturday June 20 came the second group match, this time against Sweden at NRG Stadium in Houston. What a game it turned out to be. The Netherlands steamrolled Sweden to a convincing 5-1 victory, quickly establishing itself as one of the highlights of the tournament so far.
Brian Brobbey set the tone early, opening the scoring in the fifth minute and doubling the lead himself less than 15 minutes later. The Netherlands went into halftime comfortably ahead at 2-0. After the break, things only got better. Cody Gakpo, who hadn't been at his best against Japan, was sharper than ever and scored twice. The Liverpool winger left the pitch with two goals and an assist to his name.
Anthony Elanga scored Swedens only goal after an hour of play, racing past Micky van de Ven and finishing convincingly past Bart Verbruggen. But it barely put a dent in the Dutch performance. Substitute Crysencio Summerville, who had been dropped to the bench after his starting role against Japan, sealed the 5-1 scoreline with a goal and an assist. Verbruggen also played his part with seven saves, including a fine stop from a curling Alexander Isak effort.
Koeman described it as “almost a complete performance” afterwards, and he had every reason to be satisfied. The win put the Netherlands top of Group F with four points from two games, with Sweden second on three points.
Looking ahead: everything to play for against Tunisia
The Netherlands play their final group match on Friday June 27 at 1:00 AM Dutch time against Tunisia in Kansas City. A draw would likely be enough to finish as group winners, but a victory would put Oranje in the strongest possible position heading into the Round of 32.
The Dutch have shown real character in bouncing back after a difficult start. The 5-1 win over Sweden proved that this team is capable of something special when firing on all cylinders. Whether the Netherlands can maintain that level into the knockout rounds remains to be seen — but the World Cup dream is very much alive.
Follow all the latest news and updates on the Dutch national team at the 2026 World Cup right here on Dutch Soccer Site.
When you play as LB you are judged as such. I do agree with you but Koeman needs to decide…