Netherlands will not send Cabinet delegation to Oranje vs. Argentina World Cup match

The Netherlands will not send a delegation to Qatar for to attend the World Cup match between the Dutch men's national football team and Argentina on Friday. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the Cabinet will not be represented at the match. Should Oranje advance, the Cabinet will decide individually per match if a delegation will go to the World Cup.

A minister has only been present for one Oranje match during this year's World Cup: the third game in the group stage in which the Netherlands took on the host country. For that match, Sports Minister Conny Helder sat in the stands. She also used the opportunity to speak with with Qatari ministers about the working conditions migrants faced in the country.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte said after the last Cabinet meeting that there will certainly be a government delegation if Oranje reaches the final. He said before the match against the United States that the Cabinet will evaluate if government representatives will attend a potential quarterfinal or semifinal match.

In principle, he said the Cabinet will not attend those matches, "but we will look at who other countries, our opponents, send at the government level, and then we may go, too. But in principle we will only go to the final."