Teams · Group F
Netherlands
Oranje
The Netherlands are the greatest side never to win the World Cup, losing three finals. Pioneers of Total Football, the Oranje consistently produce world-class talent and reached the quarterfinals in 2022.
Netherlands’s group path
Netherlands starts in Group F with Japan, Sweden, Tunisia. They enter the group as the #1 team by MatchupSim power rating, which makes the finishing position especially important: first place, second place and a possible third-place route can each send them into a very different round-of-32 matchup.
Key facts
- Confederation
- Europe (UEFA)
- Group
- Group F · power-ranked #1 of 4
- World Cup titles
- 0
- Best finish
- Runners-up (1974, 1978, 2010)
- Qualified via
- UEFA qualifying
- Power rating (PWR)
- 88 · Elo 1970
- Manager
- Ronald Koeman
Players to watch
- Virgil van Dijk — Captain, defender (Liverpool)
- Frenkie de Jong — Midfield (Barcelona)
- Cody Gakpo — Forward (Liverpool)
Group F opponents
Group-stage fixtures
2026 outlook
Heading Group F, the Dutch carry the quality and experience to mount another deep run at the trophy that has eluded them.
Prediction angles to test
Start with a favorites run, then test one aggressive version where Netherlands wins Group F and one conservative version where they finish lower in the table. Comparing those paths shows whether their best chance comes from group control, a softer runner-up route, or surviving as one of the best third-place teams.
Simulate Netherlands’s World Cup
Think Netherlands can go all the way — or crash out early? Set their Group F finish in the simulator and watch the bracket re-wire around your call, or build a full prediction all the way to the final.