The Netherlands and Japan debut at the 2026 FIFA World Cup this Sunday, June 14, at 5pm (Brasília time), at the AT&T Stadium, in Arlington, in the United States. The duel opens the first round of Group F, which also includes Sweden and Tunisia.
The confirmed lineups have already been announced by the teams. The Netherlands, favorites for the match, go to the field with Bart Verbruggen in goal; Denzel Dumfries, Jan Paul van Hecke, Virgil van Dijk (captain) and Micky van de Ven in defense; Ryan Gravenberch, Frenkie de Jong and Tijjani Reijnders in the middle; and Crysencio Summerville, Cody Gakpo and Donyell Malen in attack, in a 4-3-3 formation.
Coach Ronald Koeman opted to leave Memphis Depay on the bench initially, prioritizing the attacker’s physical form, who is not 100% after injury. Malen wins the position in command of the attack alongside Gakpo, one of the main Dutch offensive references.
On the Japanese side, coach Hajime Moriyasu selected Zion Suzuki; Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Ko Itakura and Hiroki Ito in the line of three defenders; Ritsu Doan, Daichi Kamada, Ao Tanaka and Keito Nakamura in the middle; Takefusa Kubo and Junya Ito more advanced; and Ayase Ueda as a center forward, in a 3-4-2-1 formation.
Japan arrives with important absences. Kaoru Mitoma and Wataru Endo, captain and leader in midfield, are out due to injury. Endo even announced his retirement from the national team after the cut. These absentees weaken the Asian team, which is looking to surprise again in a World Cup.
Netherlands seeks first world title
The Netherlands, 8th in the FIFA rankings, is one of the main candidates to fight for the unprecedented title. The Dutch team has a solid record against Japan: they won two and drew one of their previous three clashes, without defeats.
Ronald Koeman has an experienced defense anchored by Van Dijk and a midfield with a high technical level. The match marks the beginning of a campaign that could define the future of the current Oranje generation.
Japan bets on tactical organization
Ranked 18th in the rankings, the Japanese team has shown progress in recent years, with significant victories against European and South American powers in recent friendlies. Defensive solidity is the hallmark of Moriyasu’s team, but absences weigh on their debut.
Group F is considered balanced and unpredictable. A victory for the Netherlands is expected by most analysts, but Japan has the ability to complicate the game with quick transitions and tactical discipline.
Where to watch live
In Brazil, the game will be broadcast on TV Globo and SBT (open channels), SporTV and NSports (closed TV), ge TV (Globoplay) and CazéTV (YouTube). The broadcast begins before 5pm with pre-game coverage.
