Netherlands national football team starts the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a match against Japan, followed by Sweden and Tunisia. Ronald Koeman is the coach of Oranje, which on paper is the favorite to win Group F. But with 48 countries, 12 groups and an extra round, the road to the final is longer than ever. Netherlands must finish in the top two to advance to the knockout phase. If Netherlands finishes third, there is still a safety net: the eight best third-placed teams from all 12 groups will also advance. Japan is a technically strong, disciplined team that rarely falls apart in major tournaments. Sweden is physical, dangerous and has players like Viktor Gyökeres and Alexander Isak who can cause problems for any defense. Tunisia will normally try to cause problems through organization and fighting spirit. It's not a group where Oranje can just walk through on half power. Winning the group seems to be the starting point. Not only because Netherlands has the most quality on paper, but also because the route after that looks more favorable than if Oranje finishes second or third. Scenario 1: Oranje wins Group F. If Netherlands wins Group F, it will play in the round of 32 against the runner-up of Group C. That match is scheduled for Monday, June 29 in Estadio Monterrey. For Dutch viewers, it will be a late night: the kick-off is at 03:00 Dutch time. The opponent will come from a group with Brazil, Morocco, Haiti and Scotland. If Brazil fulfills its favorite role and wins Group C, Oranje could face Morocco or Scotland. Those are both tough matches, but also matches where Netherlands can give itself serious chances. Only there is a warning in this scenario: if Brazil stumbles and finishes second, the reward for winning the group could be a meeting with the five-time world champion. If Netherlands survives the first knockout round, it will play in the round of 16 on Saturday, July 4 in Houston. In that scenario, Oranje will face the winner of the match between the runners-up of Group A and Group B. That part of the schedule looks less intimidating on paper than some other routes. Think of countries from groups with Mexico, South Korea, Czech Republic, Canada, Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The match in Houston starts at 19:00 Dutch time. Netherlands starts on Sunday, June 14 at 22:00 Dutch time against Japan in Dallas/Arlington. Then, on Saturday, June 20 at 19:00, the second group match against Sweden in Houston follows. The group phase ends on the night of Thursday, June 25 to Friday, June 26 with Tunisia-Netherlands in Kansas City, at 01:00 Dutch time. Japan is a technically strong team that rarely falls apart in major tournaments. Sweden is physical, dangerous and has players like Viktor Gyökeres and Alexander Isak who can cause problems for any defense. Tunisia will normally try to cause problems through organization and fighting spirit. It's not a group where Oranje can just walk through on half power. Winning the group seems to be the starting point. Not only because Netherlands has the most quality on paper, but also because the route after that looks more favorable than if Oranje finishes second or third. The first task for Ronald Koeman is clear: Oranje must finish in the top two to advance to the knockout phase. If Netherlands finishes third, there is still a safety net: the eight best third-placed teams from all 12 groups will also advance. That takes some of the direct pressure off the group phase, but also makes the route more complicated. Because finishing first, second or third in Group F results in a completely different World Cup path. The schedule for Oranje is straightforward, but not easy. Netherlands starts on Sunday, June 14 at 22:00 Dutch time against Japan in Dallas/Arlington. Then, on Saturday, June 20 at 19:00, the second group match against Sweden in Houston follows. The group phase ends on the night of Thursday, June 25 to Friday, June 26 with Tunisia-Netherlands in Kansas City, at 01:00 Dutch time. The road to the final is long and difficult, but Oranje has the quality to go far. With Ronald Koeman as coach and players like Viktor Gyökeres and Alexander Isak, Netherlands has a good chance to reach the final. It remains to be seen how the World Cup 2026 will go for Oranje, but one thing is certain: it will be an exciting tournament. The first match against Japan is an important step on the way to the final. Netherlands must win to make a good start in the tournament. The match against Japan starts on Sunday, June 14 at 22:00 Dutch time. Dutch football fans can follow the match live on television or via a livestream. It's an important match for Oranje, and it remains to be seen how the team performs.