The Netherlands take on Morocco in the 2026 World Cup Round of 32, in search of a place among the tournament’s best 16. Netherlands enter their Round of 32 clash against Morocco as one of the form teams of the tournament so far at the 2026 World Cup. Ronald Koeman’s side topped Group F and now face the task of getting past a Moroccan side that finished just behind Brazil in one of the toughest groups of the tournament.
The Netherlands currently sit at No.7 in the FIFA World Rankings. The Dutch opened with a 2-2 draw against Japan, before bouncing back in style with a 5-1 thrashing of Sweden and a 3-1 win over Tunisia to close out the group stage.
Those results gave them seven points and top spot in Group F, with forward Brian Brobbey emerging as the team’s leading scorer through the first round with three goals.
Morocco, by contrast, head into this crucial game ranked just one spot higher at No. 6 in the rankings, making this one of the most evenly matched ties of the entire Round of 32.
IT’S TIME FOR THE KNOCK-OUTS! 🌎#NothingLikeOranje #FIFAWorldCup #NEDMAR pic.twitter.com/v4HG9TtuW8— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) June 29, 2026
The Atlas Lions held five-time champions Brazil to a 1-1 draw in their opener, before following it up with a 1-0 win over Scotland and a 4-2 victory over Haiti, finishing on seven points as well as Brazil, but settling for second place in Group C behind them on goal difference.
Morocco chasing another deep World Cup run
Morocco’s continued rise on the global stage is no longer a surprise to anyone who watched their historic run to the semifinals at Qatar 2022, the best finish by an African nation in World Cup history.
That campaign saw the Atlas Lions stun the world by eliminating Belgium, Spain, and Portugal en route to the final four. They ultimately lost to France, before falling to Croatia in the third-place match, finishing fourth overall after a historic campaign.
With a squad blending experienced figures like Achraf Hakimi with rising stars such as Ismael Saibari, who has already scored three goals at this tournament, Morocco arrive at this matchup with the belief that another deep run, and perhaps something even greater, is within reach.