Football fans in the Netherlands are longing to relive the times of Johan Cruyff, Johan Neeskens, Ruud Krol, Willem van Hanegem, and Johnny Rep – all Dutch heroes from the golden years in the 1970s, when the Netherlands reached two consecutive FIFA World Cup finals in 1974 and 1978.
More meagre times followed soon - a third-place finish in 2014 was followed up by a shock in 2018, when the Netherlands failed to qualify for the tournament in Russia. 2022 saw the return under former top manager Louis van Gaal, who took the Dutch to the quarter-finals, where Lionel Messi’s Argentina knocked the Netherlands out, just like in 2014.
The Netherlands’ FIFA World Cup schedule
During the FIFA World Cup draw in December 2025, the Netherlands were drawn into Group F with Japan, Tunisia, and the winner of playoff B of the European playoffs between Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, and Albania.
The Netherlands' full FIFA World Cup schedule is as follows:
Sunday, June 14th: The Netherlands - Japan (03.00 PM CST local time, 22.00 CET, 06.00 JST)
Saturday, June 20th: The Netherlands - Ukraine/Sweden/Poland/Albania (12.00 AM CST local time, 19.00 CET)
Friday, June 26th: Tunisia - The Netherlands (06.00 PM CST local time, 01.00 CET on Friday, June 26th)
Check out the full 2026 FIFA World Cup schedule in our article HERE >
Where will the Netherlands play their FIFA World Cup games?
The Netherlands and Japan will play their first 2026 FIFA World Cup match on Sunday, June 14th, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. AT&T Stadium, which will be named Dallas Stadium throughout the tournament for sponsorship reasons, is the home of the Dallas Cowboys from the NFL and houses 94,000 fans.
The Netherlands and Sweden, Poland, Ukraine, or Albania will face off in NRG Stadium in Houston, TX. NRG Stadium, a 72,000-capacity stadium that will be named Houston Stadium during the FIFA World Cup, is the home of the Houston Texans from the NFL.
Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO, will be the stage for the Netherlands' final group-stage game. The iconic 73,000-capacity stadium in downtown Kansas City is normally used by the four-time Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, and holds the record for the world’s loudest crowd roar at a sports stadium, with a roar measuring 142.2 dbA was recorded in September 2014 during an NFL game between the Chiefs and the New England Patriots.
The Netherlands’ FIFA World Cup knockouts schedule
If the Netherlands win Group F, they will face the runners-up in Group C, which consists of Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, and Haiti. This round-of-32 game would take place on Monday, June 29th, 2026, in Monterrey, Mexico. Kick-off is set at 09.00 PM local time (03.00 CET on Tuesday, June 30th).
With a second-place finish in Group F, the Netherlands will face the winners of Group C. This matchup would take place on Monday, June 29th, at 12.00 AM (19.00 CET) in Houston, TX.
Check out the full 2026 FIFA World Cup schedule in our article HERE >
With a third-place finish in Group F, the Netherlands could advance as one of the best third-placed teams in the tournament. Those round-of-32 games are scheduled (in CET) as follows:
Monday, June 29th, 22.30: Group E Winners vs Best 3rd Place @ Boston, USA
Tuesday, June 30th, 23.00: Group I Winners vs Best 3rd Place @ New York City, USA
Wednesday, July 1st, 03.00; Group A Winners vs Best 3rd Place @ Mexico City, Mexico
Wednesday, July 1st, 18.00: Group L Winners vs Best 3rd Place @ Atlanta, USA
Wednesday, July 1st, 22.00: Group G Winners vs Best 3rd Place @ Seattle, USA
Thursday, July 2nd, 02.00: Group D Winners vs Best 3rd Place @ San Francisco, USA
Friday, July 3rd, 05.00: Group B Winners vs Best 3rd Place @ Vancouver, Canada
Saturday, July 4th, 02.30: Group K Winners vs Best 3rd Place @ Vancouver, Canada
The Netherlands’ FIFA World Cup preparation
In preparation for the FIFA World Cup, Oranje will play friendly matches against fellow FIFA World Cup teams Norway, Ecuador, Algeria, and an opponent that is yet to be announced.
The warm-up schedule looks as follows:
Friday, March 27th: The Netherlands - Norway (20.45 CET, Johan Cruyff ArenA)
Tuesday, March 31st: The Netherlands - Ecuador (20.45 CET, Philips Stadion)
Wednesday, June 3rd: The Netherlands - Algeria (20.45, De Kuip)
The Netherlands’ final opponent ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, who they’ll face in the United States, is yet to be announced.