The Netherlands are headed to World Cup 2026, set to compete in Group F. Could they move on to the knockout stage amid several key absences like MF Xavi Simons, DF Jurrien Timber, and DF Matthijs de Ligt?
Below, we’ll break down the Netherlands’ projected starting lineup, best players, group outlook, strengths and weaknesses, and top World Cup picks on PrizePicks.
Over on PrizePicks Team Picks, you can make a prediction on how national teams will perform in the 2026 World Cup, including tournament winner, group winner, and knockout-stage advancement markets.
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Netherlands Projected Starting Lineup for World Cup 2026
Entering the World Cup, the Netherlands will be sans Simons, Timber, and de Ligt due to various injuries. MF Frankie de Jong and F Memphis Depay are also facing fitness issues, though both of them are expected to feature in the tournament in some capacity.
The Oranje deploys a ton of Premier League players, most notably DF Virgil van Dijk, MF Tijjani Reijnders, DF Micky van de Ven, MF Ryan Gravenberch, and F Cody Gakpo.
Projected Netherlands Formation: 4-2-3-1
- Goalkeeper: Bart Verbruggen
- Defense: Micky van de Ven, Jan Paul van Hecke, Virgil van Dijk, Denzel Dumfries
- Midfield: Frankie de Jong, Ryan Gravenberch, Tijjani Reijnders
- Forwards: Donyell Malen, Memphis Depay, Cody Gakpo
The Netherlands World Cup XI could change based on form, injuries, and matchup, but the Netherlands could center around Virgil van Dijk and Memphis Depay.
How the Netherlands Qualified for World Cup 2026
The Netherlands qualified via the UEFA World Cup Qualifying, and they cruised to a 6-2-0 record with a 23-goal difference (27-4).
Furthermore, the Oranje were one of eight teams to go unbeaten in UEFA World Cup qualifying, joining Switzerland, France, Spain, Norway, Belgium, England, and Croatia.
Best Player for the Netherlands: Virgil van Dijk
Even at 34 years old, van Dijk is still one of the best defenders in the world. Despite Depay being relied upon to score goals for the Netherlands in the 2026 World Cup, van Dijk remains a stalwart and key fixture in the middle of the Oranje’s back line.
The longtime captain wore the armband during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where the Oranje advanced to the quarterfinals. Besides being a dominant defender, van Dijk is also an aerial threat on set pieces and corners.
Time is ticking for van Dijk to add a World Cup trophy to his collection, and manager Ronald Koeman’s side will need the experienced center-back to lead the charge on the defensive end of the pitch if the Netherlands wants to have any chance of winning it all.
What to Expect from the Netherlands at the World Cup
FIFA World Ranking: 8
Netherlands Best World Cup Result: Runners-up in 1974, 1978, and 2010
The fitness and form for all the players on the Netherlands’ roster aren’t at their peak, but the Oranje won’t have a shortage of Premier League and Champions League talent when the tourney begins.
Koeman’s side plays with a ton of intensity, and that stems from them having a formidable back four of van Dijk, Dumfries, Timber, and van de Ven. The Oranje’s back line may be the engine of the team’s success, creating counterattacks and making life difficult for opponents.
The Netherlands’ attack could be the deciding factor on how far the Dutch advance in the 2026 World Cup, as this unit can be shaky at times. Depay is 32 years old and isn’t the same goal-scoring threat he once was despite netting 8 goals in World Cup qualification, while Malen and Gakpo are coming off quiet campaigns in the EPL.
Netherlands Picks for 2026 World Cup
Here are some Netherlands picks on PrizePicks for the 2026 World Cup. Check out more of our soccer picks and predictions on Playbook.
The World Cup payouts listed below indicate real-money earnings if a prediction is correct; for example, a 2x on a $100 entry pays out $200 on PrizePicks Team Picks. Payouts are live as of writing but are subject to change.
Netherlands to Win The 2026 World Cup
Yes 14.28x | No 1.03x (via PrizePicks)
Although the Netherlands has experienced what it’s like to play in the World Cup final quite a few times over the years, they’ve been unable to get the job done.
This year’s team has the defense and midfield to compete with the top dogs in the tournament, but it remains to be seen if their attack is up to snuff.
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Netherlands to win World Cup Group F
Yes 1.75x | No 2x (via PrizePicks)
Winning Group F will be easier said than done for the Oranje, as Japan is an experienced and dynamic team that knows how to earn results. That being said, the Netherlands are the favorite to sit atop a group that also includes Sweden and Tunisia.
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Netherlands to Advance to World Cup Knockout Stage
Yes 1.07x | No 7.14x (via PrizePicks)
Even if the Netherlands doesn’t secure the No. 1 spot in Group F, it would be one of the biggest surprises of the tournament to see them fall short of qualifying for the knockout stage. This will be the Oranje’s 12th World Cup appearance, and they’ve advanced out of the group stage in each of their previous showings.
Besides the new format of the World Cup making it even easier to advance to the knockout stage, Sweden and Tunisia are both 38th or worse in the FIFA World Rankings — putting them a decent bit behind both the Netherlands and Japan.
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Make Netherlands World Cup Picks on PrizePicks
The Netherlands are no strangers to advancing far in the World Cup, but they’ve grown accustomed to not being able to get over the line. Can the Oranje make another push for the trophy despite dealing with notable injuries?
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Stick around with the Playbook for continued World Cup predictions, picks, and analysis through the end of the tournament.
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