Virgil van Dijk
The captain and rock. The Liverpool centre-back remains one of the best defenders in the world, organising the back line and bringing leadership and composure to a Dutch side that will be hard to break down.
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Team Guide · 2026 World Cup
Netherlands at the 2026 World Cup
The Netherlands head to the 2026 World Cup as classic dark horses: balanced, experienced and dangerous on their day. Under Ronald Koeman, the 26-man squad is captained by Virgil van Dijk, with Frenkie de Jong his deputy, and leans heavily on a Premier League core. Cody Gakpo and all-time leading scorer Memphis Depay lead the attack, while injuries to Xavi Simons and Matthijs de Ligt have thinned the depth. They land in Group F with Japan, Tunisia and Sweden. This is the squad by position, the group, the fixtures, and a realistic ceiling for Oranje.
F
Group
26
The Squad
15
Premier League Players
14 Jun
Opener vs Japan
Squad confirmed. Ronald Koeman named the Netherlands' 26 in late May 2026, with around 15 players based in the Premier League. The headline notes: Virgil van Dijk captains the side, Memphis Depay is fit, uncapped West Ham forward Crysencio Summerville earns a surprise call-up, while Xavi Simons (ACL) and Matthijs de Ligt (injury) both miss out and Jeremie Frimpong is left out. The Netherlands open against Japan in Arlington on 14 June.
The Key Players
The spine of Koeman's Netherlands
The Netherlands' 2026 squad is built around a Premier League and elite-club spine that has played a lot of big-tournament football together. These are the names Oranje will turn on.
Frenkie de Jong
The vice-captain and engine. The Barcelona midfielder controls games, glides past pressure and links defence to attack. Back to his best, he is arguably the most important player in how the Netherlands play.
Cody Gakpo
The cutting edge. The Liverpool forward has been excellent for club and country, cutting in from the left to score and create. He is the Netherlands' most reliable attacking threat in open play.
Tijjani Reijnders
The all-rounder. Now at Manchester City, Reijnders brings energy, goals from midfield and progressive passing, giving Koeman balance alongside de Jong in the engine room.
Memphis Depay
The all-time leading scorer. Recovered from a thigh injury, the Netherlands' record goalscorer brings experience, leadership and a goal threat, whether starting or as an impact option off the bench.
Denzel Dumfries
The wing-back weapon. The Inter man is a powerful, attacking right-sided option who scores and creates from wide areas, a key part of how the Netherlands stretch and overload opponents.
The 26
The Netherlands squad by position
Here is the Netherlands' confirmed 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup as named by Ronald Koeman: three goalkeepers, seven defenders, eight midfielders and eight forwards. Virgil van Dijk is captain. Clubs are shown for each name.
Goalkeepers
3 in the squad
- Bart VerbruggenBrighton
- Mark FlekkenLeverkusen
- Robin RoefsSunderland
Defenders
7 in the squad
- Virgil van DijkCaptain
- Jurriën TimberArsenal
- Micky van de VenTottenham
- Nathan AkéMan City
- Jorrel HatoChelsea
- Denzel DumfriesInter
- Jan Paul van HeckeBrighton
Midfielders
8 in the squad
- Frenkie de JongBarcelona
- Ryan GravenberchLiverpool
- Tijjani ReijndersMan City
- Teun KoopmeinersJuventus
- Marten de RoonAtalanta
- Quinten TimberMarseille
- Guus TilPSV
- Mats WiefferBrighton
Forwards
8 in the squad
- Memphis DepayCorinthians
- Cody GakpoLiverpool
- Donyell MalenRoma
- Brian BrobbeySunderland
- Justin KluivertBournemouth
- Noa LangGalatasaray
- Crysencio SummervilleWest Ham
- Wout WeghorstAjax
Koeman has leaned hard on the Premier League, with around 15 of the 26 based in England, while keeping a Dutch and Italian flavour through PSV, Ajax, Inter, Juventus and Atalanta. The spine of van Dijk, de Jong, Gakpo and Depay is settled; the questions are about depth, with Xavi Simons and Matthijs de Ligt both missing through injury. Club listings can shift across the summer transfer window.
The Calls
The notable selection calls
Injuries shaped this squad as much as form. These were the calls and storylines that drew the most attention.
Xavi Simons
A major blow. Simons tore his ACL in April 2026 and was ruled out of the tournament, robbing the Netherlands of one of their most creative young attackers.
De Ligt and Frimpong
Matthijs de Ligt misses out through injury, with Stefan de Vrij also absent, and Jeremie Frimpong was left out. It leaves Koeman's back line and depth thinner than he would like.
Crysencio Summerville
The bolter. The 24-year-old West Ham forward earned a call-up despite not yet making his senior Netherlands debut, rewarded for a productive Premier League season.
Group F
The group and the fixtures
The Netherlands were drawn into Group F with Japan, Tunisia and Sweden. Japan are arguably the toughest test, a fast, well-drilled side that beat Germany and Spain in 2022. Sweden carry attacking quality and Tunisia are organised and physical. The Netherlands play all three group games in the United States, across Texas and Missouri.
Netherlands vs Japan
Sun 14 Jun 2026
Netherlands vs Sweden
Sat 20 Jun 2026
Tunisia vs Netherlands
Thu 25 Jun 2026
The Netherlands open against Japan at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on 14 June. For the full picture of all 104 games, see the WorldCuply.com match schedule, and read about the favourites in our guide to the 12 Pot 1 nations, where the Netherlands sit among the seeds.
The Ceiling
How far can Oranje go?
The Netherlands reached the semi-finals in 2014 and the quarter-finals in 2022. In 2026 they are dark horses rather than favourites, but the ceiling is high:
- A settled spine. Van Dijk, de Jong, Gakpo and Depay give the Netherlands a core of genuine top-level quality that can match almost anyone.
- Premier League sharpness. With around 15 players competing in England, much of the squad arrives battle-hardened from the most demanding league in the world.
- A winnable group. Group F is competitive but navigable. Topping it would likely mean a kinder route into the new Round of 32 and beyond.
- The injury caveat. Losing Xavi Simons and Matthijs de Ligt thins the depth, and Koeman will need his key players to stay fit through a seven-game run.
- The realistic target. A quarter-final is a solid baseline, and a deep run to the semi-finals is a credible ceiling if the draw and fitness break their way.
The Netherlands are not among the very top favourites, and the markets place them in the chasing pack. But a balanced, experienced squad and a winnable group make a deep run realistic. If van Dijk and de Jong stay fit and Gakpo hits form, Oranje can trouble anyone.
Questions & Answers
Frequently asked questions
Who is the Netherlands' coach for the 2026 World Cup?
Ronald Koeman is the head coach of the Netherlands for the 2026 World Cup. In his second spell in charge, the former Barcelona and Everton manager named his 26-man squad in late May 2026.
Who is the Netherlands' captain for the 2026 World Cup?
Virgil van Dijk, the Liverpool centre-back, is the Netherlands' captain for the 2026 World Cup, with Frenkie de Jong as vice-captain. Van Dijk leads a squad heavy with Premier League experience.
What group are the Netherlands in at the 2026 World Cup?
The Netherlands are in Group F at the 2026 World Cup, alongside Japan, Tunisia and Sweden. It is a competitive but navigable group that the Dutch will expect to win.
What are the Netherlands' group fixtures at the 2026 World Cup?
The Netherlands play Japan on 14 June at AT&T Stadium in Arlington near Dallas, then Sweden on 20 June at NRG Stadium in Houston, and finally Tunisia on 25 June at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
Is Memphis Depay in the Netherlands' 2026 World Cup squad?
Yes. Memphis Depay, the Netherlands' all-time leading scorer, recovered from a thigh injury to be selected. He remains a key attacking option alongside Cody Gakpo.
Why is Xavi Simons not in the Netherlands' 2026 World Cup squad?
Xavi Simons is not in the squad because he tore his ACL in April 2026 and was ruled out of the tournament. It is one of the biggest absences for the Netherlands.
Is Matthijs de Ligt in the Netherlands' 2026 World Cup squad?
No. Matthijs de Ligt misses out through injury, and Stefan de Vrij is also absent. Jeremie Frimpong was left out as well, while uncapped West Ham forward Crysencio Summerville earned a surprise call-up.
How many Premier League players are in the Netherlands squad?
Around 15 of the 26 players in Ronald Koeman's squad play in the Premier League, with representation from Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Brighton, Tottenham, Bournemouth, Sunderland and West Ham.
How far can the Netherlands go at the 2026 World Cup?
The Netherlands are genuine dark horses. With a balanced, experienced squad they have a credible semi-final ceiling, and on their day they can trouble any of the favourites, though injuries to Xavi Simons and Matthijs de Ligt thin their depth.
Where do the Netherlands play their World Cup 2026 group games?
The Netherlands play all three group games in the United States: against Japan at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, against Sweden at NRG Stadium in Houston, and against Tunisia at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
Keep Reading
More 2026 World Cup coverage
The Netherlands are one of 48 nations heading to the 2026 World Cup. Explore the rest of the WorldCuply.com guide:
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Read the Spain guide ›Germany Squad
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Read the Germany guide ›Superstars to Watch
The top 12 players going to the 2026 World Cup, with the stars who can decide the tournament.
View the top 12 ›Match Schedule
All 104 fixtures across 16 host cities, with kickoff times you can filter to your team.
Open the schedule ›Sources
Where this page comes from
This guide was hand-written from the following reporting and reference pages, used to confirm the Netherlands' squad, coach, group and fixtures:
• FIFA: Netherlands name FIFA World Cup 2026 squad
• ESPN: Netherlands confirm World Cup 2026 squad, Frimpong out, Summerville picked
• Olympics.com: Netherlands at FIFA World Cup 2026, full squad list and schedule
• Al Jazeera: Netherlands' World Cup 2026 team preview
• Wikipedia: 2026 FIFA World Cup Group F
• ESPN: Netherlands confirm World Cup 2026 squad, Frimpong out, Summerville picked
• Olympics.com: Netherlands at FIFA World Cup 2026, full squad list and schedule
• Al Jazeera: Netherlands' World Cup 2026 team preview
• Wikipedia: 2026 FIFA World Cup Group F
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