The Netherlands and Japan have secured their spots in the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup by finishing at the top of Group F. Now that the group stage has concluded for both nations, their paths through the knockout rounds have become clear with their venues and opponents locked in. After a thrilling […] The Netherlands and Japan have secured their spots in the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup by finishing at the top of Group F. Now that the group stage has concluded for both nations, their paths through the knockout rounds have become clear with their venues and opponents locked in.
After a thrilling 2-2 draw against Japan on Matchday 1, the Netherlands found their rhythm with two dominant performances, beating Sweden 5-1 and Tunisia 3-1. These results left Oranje at the summit of the standings with seven points out of a possible nine.
On the other hand, Japan put themselves in contention for the top spot after a commanding 4-0 win over Tunisia earlier in the tournament. However, following a 1-1 result against Sweden on the final matchday, the Blue Samurai fell just short of jumping the Dutch for first place and finished the group stage with 5 points.
Group F final standings
Opening their campaign with a 2-2 draw against Japan, followed by convincing wins over Sweden (5-1) and Tunisia (3-1), the Netherlands officially claimed the top seed in Group F. Following right behind them is Japan with five points, courtesy of their initial draw, a 4-0 shutout of Tunisia, and a 1-1 draw against Sweden.
2026 World Cup Group F final standings.
Sweden finishes group play in third place with four points, officially booking their ticket to the next round of the tournament as one of the best third-placed wildcards. Meanwhile, Tunisia completely exits the competition in last place with zero points, having scored two goals while conceding 12.
Venues and confirmed rivals
After winning Group F, the Netherlands’ next high-stakes match in the Round of 32 is scheduled for Monday, June 29th at 9:00 PM ET. Oranje will travel to Mexico to play at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, where they will face Group C runner-up Morocco.
As the Group F runner-up, Japan will also play its Round of 32 knockout match on Monday, June 29th, with kickoff set for 1:00 PM ET. The Blue Samurai are heading to NRG Stadium in Houston, where they will face heavyweights Brazil, who finished at the top of Group C.
As for Sweden, their wild-card qualification means they will advance to face either Germany, the USMNT, Mexico, Switzerland, or the eventual winners of Group I, who at the moment is France.