Thousands expected as Oranjebus leads Dutch fan takeover of Monterrey
The vintage Oranjebus double-decker has officially arrived in Monterrey, Mexico, ahead of the highly anticipated World Cup Round of 32 knockout match between the Netherlands and Morocco at the Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, NOS reports.
The arrival marks a major milestone for the iconic Dutch fan symbol, following an epic 1,800-kilometer road journey from Kansas City, where Oranje played their final group-stage game.
The bus was originally shipped across the Atlantic to Texas before navigating the group-stage host cities (Dallas, Houston, and Kansas City). It's a 17+ hour drive south to Mexico, which will serve as its first international border crossing of the 2026 tournament.
The bus was met at the US-Mexico border by a police helicopter carrying Samuel García, the Governor of the state of Nuevo León. Wearing a Netherlands national jersey, Governor García boarded the bus to personally ride the final meters across the border alongside the Dutch fans.
Organizers noted that the vintage bus "boiled" and faced severe strain while braving the scorching North American heatwave on its long drive down. “I am almost as hot as the bus itself,” the driver told NOS. “We had to stop during our trip because the bus was boiling.”
The vintage double-decker will blast loud music from its built-in DJ booth, leading a sea of fans to the stadium roughly two hours before kickoff. “It’s really extraordinary. You’re basically given a clear route into the city. We’re just letting it unfold. It could end up being the biggest parade we’ve ever organised,” an organiser of the Oranjebus said.
Governor García publicly announced that he expects 15,000 to 20,000 Dutch supporters to flood Monterrey for the march. While the Dutch Football Association, the KNVB, officially sold 4,000 tickets to Dutch residents, thousands more have traveled by buying tickets via FIFA's general resale platform.
The local government has embraced the Dutch national team with unprecedented levels of enthusiasm, fueled heavily by local political synergy. Governor García has officially declared a public holiday, granting schools a day off and allowing local businesses to close so residents can join in the festivities.
To welcome the influx of travelers, the governor has promised free beer, tacos, and food to celebrating football fans. The Monterrey Fan Fest is being turned completely orange. Alongside the Oranje Fan Team performers and FeestDJRuud, a massive free live concert headlined by international superstar Enrique Iglesias has been organized ahead of the game.
While the governor claims a lifelong childhood fandom for the Dutch team, local media point out that orange is the official party color of his political party, Movimiento Ciudadano , allowing him to heavily capitalize on the Dutch "Oranje" takeover for local promotion. “I’ve been nicknamed the ‘orange boy’ or ‘orange Mexican’ for quite some time, linked to my political party. So of course it helps me that the Netherlands is coming here. We’re going to make the city orange!” NOS quotes him as saying.
