Netherlands v Japan: World Cup 2026 preview

Live coverage will move to Texas for what promises to be one of the group stage’s more intriguing fixtures as the Netherlands meet Japan. The Dutch remain one of the best teams never to win the World Cup, while Japan are regarded as the best side never to have reached the quarter-finals.

Kick-off is 3pm local / 4pm EDT / 9pm BST. Ronald Koeman keeps the same XI that beat Uzbekistan in his final pre-tournament friendly, with Memphis Depay fit again but named among the substitutes. Japan make two changes from the side that beat England at Wembley, with Takefusa Kubo and Daizen Maeda coming in for Junya Ito and the sadly injured Kaoru Mitoma.

The referee is Ismail Elfath (USA). Netherlands (4-3-3) start: Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Hecke, Van Dijk, Van de Ven; Gravenberch, De Jong, Reijnders; Summerville, Malen, Gakpo. Subs include Roefs, Flekken, Geertruida, Ake, Wieffer, Hato, De Roon, Kluivert, Til, Q Timber, Koopmeiners, Weghorst, Depay, Lang, Brobbey.

USA, Texas

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