Netherlands to take on Japan, Tunisia at the 2026 World Cup; Curacao vs Germany
The Dutch men's national football team will lead Group F during the World Cup next year, taking on rivals Japan, Tunisia, and a playoff winner to be determined later. Curaçao, which also qualified for the tournament, will take on Germany in the first Group E match.
The lottery determining the 12 groups of four teams each was held on Friday, with the event beginning in six months' time in the three host nations, Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Aside from Japan and Tunisia, the Netherlands will take on one of four teams competing for the last spot in their groups. This will be filled by either Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, or Albania.
Group E will feature another team from the Dutch Kingdom, Curaçao. Germany leads that challenging group, with the Ivory Coast in third, and Ecuador seeded fourth.
Oranje is currently ranked seventh worldwide, putting the Dutch team as the first seed in Group F. Since the previous World Cup, the Netherlands has improved from 10th place on the rankings, and has mostly remained in seventh place over the past four years.
Japan is ranked 18th globally, recently defeating Bolivia 3-0 and Ghana 2-0 in friendlies last month. Tunisia improved three places to 40th on the back of a 1-1 draw against Brazil, and a 3-2 victory over Jordan in their recent friendlies.
Group F matches will take place in Dallas and Monterrey June 14, in Houston and Monterrey on June 20, in Dallas and Kansas City on June 25. The winner of the group will take on the Group C runner-up in monterrey on June 29, and the Group F runner-up will face the Group C winner in Houston on the same day. The third place team will potentially play the winner of Group B, D, or I at the end of June or the beginning of July.
The 2026 World Cup kicks off on June 11 in Mexico City. The first match will be between Mexico, the Group A leader, and South Africa, the second seeded team in that group.
