The Netherlands is in eighth place in the FIFA rankings. And Japan is in 18th place. One is a European powerhouse. The other is the king of Asia.
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The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to be contested between two formidable teams on Sunday. In the first match of Group ‘F’, European powerhouse Netherlands and Asian king Japan will face each other at 1:45 am Nepali time. The match will be held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, USA.
The Netherlands is ranked eighth in the FIFA rankings. And Japan is ranked 18th. One is a European powerhouse. The other is an Asian king. Therefore, the clash between these two teams, which will start at 1:45 pm on Sunday, is expected to be interesting.
The Dutch team is a three-time World Cup runner-up in 1974, 1978 and 2010. This time too, the team remained undefeated in the qualifying stage. Before the start of the match, coach Ronald Koeman’s team is in crisis due to injuries. Defender Jurin Timber, midfielder Javi Simmons and Jordi Schouten are already out of the team.
Timber has been replaced by Lutsarel Gertruida. The Dutch team, led by captain Virgil van Dijk, will feature star players like Frenkie de Jong and Cody Gakpo. The 'Samurai Blue', which is playing its eighth consecutive World Cup, is also in good form.
It has already proven its ability by defeating world champions like Brazil and England in friendly matches. Coach Hajime Moriyasu's team also has injury problems. Star wingers Kaoru Mitoma, Takumi Minamino and captain Wataru Endo will not be in the team.
Ko Itakura will take over the captaincy in Endo's absence, while Feyenoord's impressive striker Ayase Ueda will lead the attack. Head-to-head, the Netherlands are ahead. In the previous three meetings, the Netherlands have won two and drawn one.
This is the second meeting between the two teams at the World Cup. The Netherlands had previously defeated Japan 1-0 in the 2010 World Cup. The Dutch team's controlled style of play and Japan's fast 'transition' football are expected to be very competitive in a stadium with a capacity of about 94,000 spectators.
Group 'F' also includes these two teams, Sweden and Tunisia. Both teams will be in a clear position to collect 3 points in today's match to secure a place in the knockout stage.
