The offering of World Cup 2026 football on Sunday night concludes with a huge Group F match between Netherlands and Japan.
This battle featuring two nations who are regulars on sport’s biggest stage will be hosted at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Netherlands were eliminated at the quarter-final round in 2022, while Japan have reached the Round of 16 in four of the last six tournaments – but never progressed to the final eight.
Drawn in a group alongside Sweden and Tunisia, a win for either side here would be massive in terms of qualification for the Round of 32.
As always, the stakes are high and below, we have previewed this enticing contest in full, picking out some more betting tips based on NetBet’s wide range of World Cup odds.
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Where can I watch Netherlands vs Japan in the UK?
Netherlands vs Japan will be broadcast live on ITV1, with kick-off scheduled for 9pm UK time.
Netherlands vs Japan Preview
Recent results
Netherlands went unbeaten in World Cup qualifying, with Ronald Koeman’s men winning six of their eight matches and scoring an eye-catching 27 goals. The Dutch beat Norway 2-1 and then drew 1-1 with Ecuador in the March friendlies, before a 1-0 loss vs Algeria at the start of this month. And Netherlands only just scraped past Uzbekistan on Monday, a late Cody Gakpo goal sealing a 2-1 victory. A concerning run of form? Perhaps.
The same cannot be said for Japan, though, who cruised through AFC qualifying with seven wins from 10 games and 30 goals scored. Hajime Moriyasu’s men are now on a six-match winning run, a streak started with a 3-2 victory over Brazil in October. Since then, Samurai Blue have beaten Ghana (2-0), Bolivia (3-0), England (0-1), Scotland (0-1) and Iceland (1-0). The contests may be designated as friendlies, but it is still a seriously impressive run of form.
Head-to-head record
Netherlands and Japan first met in 2009, a friendly which the Dutch won 3-0. The two sides then clashed in the 2010 World Cup group stage, with La Oranje winning 1-0 courtesy of a superb Wesley Sneijder strike.
The third – and last – encounter was back in November 2013, a friendly which finished 2-2.
Team news
Jurrien Timber is sadly a late withdrawal from the Netherlands squad, as the Arsenal defender failed to fully recover from a groin injury. But defence is still a strong area for La Oranje due to the presence of Virgil van Dijk, Micky van de Ven, Nathan Ake, Denzel Dumfries and Jan Paul van Hecke. Elsewhere, Ryan Gravenberch, Frenkie de Jong, Gakpo and the evergreen Memphis Depay ensure the Dutch remain a side to be feared.
Kaoru Mitoma is a big miss for Japan after the Brighton winger failed to recover in time from a hamstring injury. But Moriyasu still has some seriously talented players at his disposal, including Ritsu Doan, Daichi Kamada, Ao Tanaka, Daizen Maeda and Ayase Ueda – the latter of whom scored 24 goals in 31 Eredivisie matches for Feyenoord in 2025-26.
Netherlands vs Japan Odds
*All odds are subject to change
A Netherlands win is just below evens at a price of 1.98, while a victory for Japan is at odds of 3.56. The draw here is 3.45.
Netherlands vs Japan Betting Tips
Both teams to score – Yes @ 1.75
This game has the potential to be goal-filled. Each team possesses quality in forward areas, and will be eager to make a big statement in the opening match. So while Japan have made a habit of recording 1-0 victories in recent times, this contest could follow in the footsteps of three of Netherlands’ previous four games – in which both teams scored.
Double chance – Japan win or draw @ 1.74
It says a lot about Japan’s growth in the footballing world that absolutely nobody is writing them off here. The victory over England at Wembley was proof of the quality in the ranks, and if anything, the scoreline flattered the hosts. Japan are unbeaten in their last four games against European nations, a run which includes a 4-1 win in Germany. Furthermore, Samurai Blue are on a 13-match unbeaten run overall, winning six of the last seven. A serious outfit which is more-than capable of pulling off a serious result.
Player to score or assist – Cody Gakpo @ 2.05
Gakpo can flatter to deceive sometimes in a Liverpool shirt, but he is a different beast when wearing the La Oranje jersey. The ex-PSV Eindhoven forward has 10 goals contributions in his last nine international appearances, scoring both goals in the recent 2-1 win vs Uzbekistan. And lest we forget, Gakpo has fond memories of the World Cup stage, having netted three times in five games at Qatar 2022.
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