Netherlands and Japan clash in their opening Group F fixture at the AT&T Stadium on Sunday evening.
The Dutch arrive with cautious optimism despite suffering a wave of severe injury disruptions recently. Ronald Koeman’s squad hope to assert early dominance in a highly competitive section containing Sweden and Tunisia.
Meanwhile, Japan enter the tournament in sensational form after securing six consecutive friendly victories. Hajime Moriyasu’s side are determined to prove they can consistently challenge elite European opposition. This fascinating tactical battle pairs aggressive Japanese pressing against methodical Dutch midfield build-up.
Netherlands vs Japan- Match preview and team news
- Date: Sunday, 14 June 2026
- Kick-off: 21:00 BST
- Venue: AT&T Stadium, Dallas
- Referee: Ismail Elfath (USA)
- VAR: Joe Dickerson (USA)
- Last Meeting: Netherlands 2–2 Japan (16 November 2013, International Friendly)
Team news
Netherlands
Koeman must navigate this crucial opening fixture without several key creative components. Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber was unfortunately ruled out just before the tournament. Creative linchpin Xavi Simons was not called up due to his severe injury. Jerdy Schouten is similarly ruled out after picking up a serious knee injury.
Memphis Depay arrives managing a lingering hamstring problem from his club season with Corinthians. Matthijs de Ligt remains a major fitness doubt after struggling with a recent back issue. However, Denzel Dumfries has fully recovered to boost the defensive options on the right flank. Micky van de Ven expects to partner captain Virgil van Dijk in central defence.
Japan
Japan’s preparations have been rocked by the late withdrawal of captain Wataru Endo. The Liverpool midfielder has also announced his immediate retirement from international football. He suffered a foot injury in February that required surgery. Endo lasted only a half in a warm-up friendly against Iceland on May 31.
Moriyasu faces additional attacking headaches following the devastating loss of Kaoru Mitoma. The dynamic winger suffered a tournament-ending hamstring injury after scoring the winner against England. Takumi Minamino is also unavailable, heavily reducing their proven goalscoring depth. Takefusa Kubo and Ritsu Doan must shoulder the creative burden. Ayase Ueda will lead the line after scoring 25 goals for Feyenoord last season.
Form
Netherlands
The Dutch enter the tournament after navigating a near-flawless qualifying campaign. They secured six victories from eight matches, scoring 27 goals and conceding only four times. That said, their two qualifying draws against Poland highlighted potential struggles against highly organised defensive units.
Recent warm-up friendlies produced mixed results, including a 1-0 defeat against Algeria in Rotterdam. They quickly responded with a narrow 2-1 victory over Uzbekistan after arriving in the United States.
Japan
Japan arrive in Dallas riding a phenomenal wave of momentum. Moriyasu’s men boast a six-game winning streak across all competitions, scoring 11 goals. They secured monumental friendly victories over Brazil and England during that exceptional run of form.
Samurai Blue dominated Asian qualifying, plundering 54 goals and conceding just three times. Their 3-4-2-1 pressing structure has caused enormous problems for elite European opposition recently.
Predicted lineups
Netherlands Predicted XI: Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van de Ven, Van Dijk, Ake; Gravenberch, De Jong, Reijnders; Malen, Weghorst, Gakpo
Japan Predicted XI: Zion Suzuki; Ito, Itakura, Taniguchi; Sugawara, Sano, Tanaka, Nagatomo; Kubo, Doan; Ueda
How to watch Netherlands vs Japan?
In the UK, the match will be broadcast live on ITV1 and BBC One. Viewers in the United States can watch the entire fixture live on Fox Sports.
Read more –Â USA: 2026 World Cup Squad, Fixtures and Schedule
See Also-Â Turkiye: 2026 World Cup Squad, Fixtures and Schedule
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