The Netherlands and Japan will be eager to kick off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaigns with a bang when they meet at AT&T Stadium on Sunday.
Matchday 1 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup reaches its midway mark this weekend. Group F will kick off with the Netherlands vs Japan in Dallas on Sunday, with the two favourites to progress to the round of 32 beginning their campaigns against each other.
The Netherlands reached the 2026 FIFA World Cup by topping Group G of the European leg of the Qualifiers, finishing three points ahead of Poland. The Oranje did not lose a game, dropping points only twice in eight outings, with Poland holding them to a 1-1 draw on both occasions. However, since then, Ronald Koeman’s men have been on a patchy run of form, and they warmed up for this summer’s event by losing 1-0 to Algeria before beating Uzbekistan 2-1 in New York.
On the other hand, Japan first topped Group B of the second round in the Asian leg of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers before finishing atop Group C in the third round ahead of Australia to secure a spot at this summer’s tournament. The Samurai Blue’s form has been solid since then, and they come into Sunday’s match on the back of a six-game winning run, keeping a clean sheet in their last five matches.
The Netherlands and Japan have previously faced off once in a World Cup tie, with the Oranje picking up a 1-0 win in Group E of the 2010 edition. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Netherlands
Ronald Koeman has a new injury concern that is hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s opening fixture at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Netherlands’ head coach has had to make a replacement ahead of the game vs Japan.
Jurrien Timber has withdrawn from the group after struggling to sufficiently recover from a groin injury that forced him to miss many games towards the end of the 2025/26 season. Lutsharel Geertruida has replaced Timber in the squad.
Bart Verbruggen will take his spot between the sticks, with the Netherlands lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Japan on Sunday. The backline will feature Denzel Dumfries, Jan Paul van Hecke, Virgil van Dijk, and Micky van de Ven. Koeman prefers to use van de Ven’s pace to good effect in each phase of the game.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Frenkie de Jong and Ryan Gravenberch in the double pivot, with Tijjani Reijnders reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Memphis Depay will lead the line for his side against Japan, with Cody Gakpo and Crysencio Summerville being the two wide attackers. So, Brian Brobbey, Donyell Malen, and Noa Lang will be among the backup options on the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen; Dumfries, van Hecke, van Dijk, van de Ven; de Jong, Gravenberch; Summerville, Reijnders, Gakpo; Depay
Japan
Like his counterpart in the Dutch dugout, Hajime Moriyasu has a new fitness issue to worry about ahead of the trip to AT&T Stadium. Japan’s head coach has also made one change to his squad before the game vs the Netherlands.
Wataru Endo, Japan’s captain, has failed to recover from a foot injury, which has forced him to pull out of the group and announce his retirement from international football. The news is another blow to Moriyasu’s preparations after omitting Kaoru Mitoma, another key player, due to an injury. Shuto Machino has replaced the former captain in the squad.
Zion Suzuki is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Japan lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs the Netherlands on Sunday. The central defensive unit will feature Shogo Taniguchi, Tsuyoshi Watanabe, and Hiroki Ito. Meanwhile, Ritsu Doan and Keito Nakamura will start as the two wing-backs.
The wide duo will provide width in the final third and protect the three centre-backs. As for the midfield unit, Daichi Kamada and Ao Tanaka will pair up in the central areas, hoping to keep things tight in the middle of the park. Finally, Ayase Ueda will spearhead the attack for his team, with Takefusa Kubo and Junya Ito completing the numbers in the offensive unit.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Suzuki; Taniguchi, Watanabe, Hiroki Ito; Doan, Kamada, Tanaka, Nakamura; Junya Ito, Kubo; Ueda
Key Stats
- The Netherlands and Japan have clashed three times previously, with the Oranje yet to lose to the Asian powerhouses (W2 D1).
- The only previous meeting between the Netherlands and Japan at a World Cup came in 2010, with the former picking up a 1-0 victory in a Group E tie.
- The Netherlands have lost only one of their last 16 matches in regulation time across all competitions, the 1-0 defeat to Algeria earlier this month.
- Japan head into this game on the back of a six-game winning run, keeping a clean sheet in the five most recent matches. The Samurai Blue’s last five competitive wins have been by a single goal.
- Denzel Dumfries has scored or assisted in 6 of his last 7 appearances in competitive internationals for the Netherlands.
Player to Watch
Cody Gakpo
While Memphis Depay, Ayase Ueda, and Takefusa Kubo were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Cody Gakpo as the Player to Watch for Saturday’s FIFA World Cup 2026 clash between the Netherlands and Japan at AT&T Stadium.
While the 27-year-old endured a frustrating campaign at the club level, he usually steps up and delivers the goods in the final third for his national side. Gakpo was the standout performer for the Dutch at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and he has an excellent record of 21 goals in 50 outings thus far for the team. So, how he fares will determine his side’s fortunes this weekend.
Prediction
Netherlands 1-1 Japan
This game has all the makings of becoming a keenly-contested affair, as both sides are in a decent run of form. At the same time, the Netherlands have shown chinks in their armoury after conceding a goal in each warm-up friendly ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
With Japan looking solid at the back, chance creation will be low, and there may not be much to separate the two sides. The Asian giants may even open the scoring before Ronald Koeman’s men get back to level terms. Ultimately, the two sides will be on an even pedestal, and The Hard Tackle predicts a 1-1 draw.
