Oranje supporters' bus begins 1,800km journey to Mexico for Morocco match

The lead supporters’ bus used in the Netherlands’ “fan walk” has departed the United States for Mexico ahead of the next World Cup match. The Dutch team will face Morocco in the round of 16 at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, with kick-off scheduled for 3 a.m. Dutch time on the evening hours of Monday, leading into Tuesday.

Kansas City, where Oranje beat Tunisia 3–1 in their final group-stage match, is about 1,800 kilometres from Guadalupe. The drive would take roughly 17 hours, though the team bus is expected to take even longer.

The iconic orange double-decker made its debut at Euro 2004 in Portugal and has since become a fixture at major tournaments. Dutch fans typically gather in large numbers on match days, following the bus with music and celebrations as they make their way to the stadium a couple of hours before kick-off.

During Oranje’s three group-stage matches in the United States, the Oranje fans' walks and celebrations drew not only Dutch supporters but also large numbers of American fans.

In Kansas City alone, around 22,000 people took part in Thursday’s fan walk. Many locals joined the parade dressed in orange, while others lined the route of the bus with folding chairs, food, and drinks to watch the spectacle pass by.

More than 15,000 people attended the Netherlands’ group matches in Dallas and Houston. The fan walks, and the stadium atmosphere was strongly shaped by “Links Rechts” by Snollebollekes, which has also become a hit among local fans. During the song, crowds jump in unison from side to side, a ritual that has been repeated throughout Oranje’s matches at the tournament.

Fan festivities are also planned around the Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico, where Dutch supporters are expected to gather. A spokesperson for the KNVB said it is still too early to estimate how many fans will attend, either from the federation’s side or the local authorities.