Fans of the Netherlands were longing for some FIFA World Cup history: Oranje started the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the most successful nation to never win the tournament. The three-time finalists arrived in Canada, Mexico, and the United States with stars such as Virgil van Dijk, Frenkie de Jong, Denzel Dumfries, Ryan Gravenberch, and Cody Gakpo, hoping this would finally be their year.
Manager Ronald Koeman arrived at his first FIFA World Cup as the Netherlands' second-longest-serving manager, with 60 games behind his name. Only Bob Glendenning managed more Netherlands games, with the Englishman standing on the sidelines for 87 games between 1923 and 1940.
The recipe for success was there, with the Netherlands starting their tournament with most of their biggest stars fit to play. Xavi Simons, Matthijs de Ligt, and Jerdy Schouten missed out on the World Cup due to injuries.
The Netherlands’ World Cup 2026 group stage results
During the FIFA World Cup draw in December 2025, the Netherlands were drawn into Group F with Japan, Tunisia, and Sweden.
Prior to the FIFA World Cup, the Netherlands ran a questionable warm-up run with a 1-0 loss to Algeria in Rotterdam and a tight 2-1 win over debutants Uzbekistan, who were beaten by two Cody Gakpo penalties.
In their first World Cup games, Virgil van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville made the country explode, but Oranje just fell short in the end as Japan snatched a point from the Dutch grip in the 89th minute.
Following the draw, the Netherlands produced one of the standout performances of the World Cup, sweeping Sweden aside 5-1 on June 20th in Houston. Brian Brobbey and Cody Gakpo scored twice before Summerville sealed the definitive 5-1 routing with a late stoppage-time goal.
A routine 3-1 win over Tunisia was enough for the Netherlands to top Group F, beating second-placed Japan by two points.
Sunday, June 14th: The Netherlands - Japan (2-2)
Saturday, June 20th: The Netherlands - Sweden (5-1)
Friday, June 26th: Tunisia - The Netherlands (1-3)
The Netherlands' World Cup 2026 knockouts results
With their group win, the Netherlands were paired with Morocco, who finished second in Group C behind Brazil. The 2022 semifinalists dominated the first half, as for the first time in the tournament, Ronald Koeman started a game with a 5-man defence. Morocco surprisingly fell behind after 70 minutes when Cody Gakpo scored the opener for Oranje after a lightning-quick counter.
Morocco fought for dear life and got what it needed when Issa Diop headed in an injury-time equaliser that sent the round-of-32 game to extra time. 30 uneventful minutes meant the Netherlands had to overcome a national trauma, with penalties deciding who progressed at the World Cup.
Oranje started on the front foot after Teun Koopmeiners scored his spot-kick and Neil El Aynaoui struck the crossbar, but the win slipped from the Dutch hands as Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber, and Crysencio Summerville all failed to convert their penalties. Ismael Saibari, the reigning Eredivisie Player of the Year, struck gold with Morocco's fifth penalty, sending the Atlas Lions to the round of 16.
For the third World Cup in a row, the Netherlands were sent home on penalties, with Argentina toppling the Dutch in 2014 and 2022.
Monday, June 29th: The Netherlands - Morocco (1-1, Morocco win 3-2 on penalties)
