Flying Dutchmen unsheathe swords against Blue Samurai in FIFA 2026 Group F encounter.

The Netherlands vs. Japan kicks off at 21:00 [GMT+1] on Sunday, June 14, at the AT&T Stadium.

Both nations arrive in strong form ahead of Sunday’s Group F match, with impressive defensive records and proven ability to compete against high-level opposition. Managed by Ronald Koeman, the Netherlands enter the tournament with a reputation for organisation, technical quality and tactical flexibility. The Flying Dutchmen are making successive World Cup appearances, having missed out on the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Across their last 40 matches in all competitions, the Dutch have won 23 games, averaging 2.28 goals scored while conceding just 1.0 per match. Recent form has been particularly encouraging. The Netherlands are unbeaten in their last 12 competitive matches, a run that highlights both their resilience and ability to avoid costly mistakes. They have also won by two or more goals in 40% of their last 20 matches, demonstrating their capacity to turn narrow advantages into comfortable victories. World Cup history further strengthens their credentials. The Dutch have won nine of their last 12 matches in the competition. They have avoided defeat in 11 of those 12 World Cup fixtures, illustrating a team that traditionally performs well on football's biggest stage. A 4—2—3—1 formation with Memphis Depay in attack. Liverpool's Cody Gakpo, City’s Tijjani Reijnders and Roma’s Donyell Malen are expected to form an attacking trio behind Depay. The Netherlands are sweating over the fitness of goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen following a hip injury in their warm-up game against Uzbekistan. He remains in doubt for Sunday’s clash.

Japan, however, arrive with statistics that demand equal respect. Under Hajime Moriyasu, the Samurai Blue have developed into one of Asia's strongest and most tactically disciplined sides. They have won 22 of their last 30 matches in all competitions, scoring an impressive 2.57 goals per game while conceding just 0.53. That defensive record is among the standout numbers heading into the tournament. Japan's ability to press collectively, recover possession quickly and maintain their shape has made them extremely difficult to break down. At the same time, their pace in transition and technical quality in possession provide a genuine attacking threat against any opponent. Both sides have won four of their last six matches, reinforcing the sense that this contest is finely balanced. While the Netherlands may hold a slight advantage in terms of tournament pedigree and individual quality, Japan has the quality to trouble even the most experienced teams. Feyenoord’s Ayase Ueda could team up with Takefusa Kubo and Crystal Palace’s Daichi Kamada in attack when manager Hajime Moriyasu deploys the familiar 4—3—3 formation.