Netherlands vs Morocco Preview: Team News & Prediction | FIFA World Cup 2026 | Round of 32
Both of these teams would have expected to go deep into FIFA World Cup 2026 but the end of the road will come at the Round of 32 stage for one of them as the Netherlands take on Morocco in Monterrey.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – TBC / USA – FOX Sports
How to watch online: UK – TBC / USA – FOX One
Netherlands preview: Impressive Dutch
Ronald Koeman and his Dutch side reached the semi-finals of UEFA EURO 2024 and have an impressive, well-balanced squad with an incredible amount of quality and depth at the back. They finished at the top of a strong Group F with seven points collected from their three matches.
The Netherlands shared a 2-2 draw with Japan in their opener in a game in which they twice took the lead before they then hammered Sweden by five goals to one with an impressive performance in Houston. The Oranje then secured top spot in their group with a 3-1 defeat of Tunisia at Kansas City Stadium.
Morocco preview: Capable of big wins
Morocco became the first African team to reach the semi-finals of a FIFA World Cup when they defeated both Spain and then Portugal in Qatar. The impressive African champions are now seeking to slay another European giant after finishing as runners-up to Brazil on goal difference in Group C.
The Moroccans began with a 1-1 draw against Brazil in a game whereby they were slightly the better side before they then defeated Scotland 1-0 in Boston and Haiti by four goals to two in Atlanta. The Atlas Lions were impressive and play with a fair bit more proactivity than their record-setting 2022 iteration.
Netherlands team news: Van de Ven back in
Further team news will appear here closer to the match after pre-match press conferences...
Micky van de Ven was rested against Tunisia, replaced by Nathan Ake, but the versatile defender is expected to return to the eleven at centre-back once again.
Virgil van Dijk overcame a slight injury issue to start against Tunisia, as did Frenkie de Jong, while Donyell Malen could retain his spot ahead of Crysencio Summerville on the wing.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Hecke, Van Dijk, Van de Ven; Reijnders, De Jong, Gravenberch; Malen, Brobbey, Gakpo
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Morocco team news: Back to full strength
Further team news will appear here closer to the match after pre-match press conferences...
Morocco are expected to revert back to their full strength eleven after some changes against Haiti with Issa Diop, Noussair Mazraoui and Azzedine Ounahi coming back in.
A winger at PSV Eindhoven, Bayern Munich-bound Ismael Saibari played up front in the opening two games before moving into attacking midfield against Haiti but he could return to the striking position, having scored in each game thus far.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Bounou; Hakimi, Diop, Riad, Mazraoui; El Aynaoui, Bouaddi; Brahim, Ounahi, El Khannouss; Saibari
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Netherlands’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Denzel Dumfries ($5.7m) – Defender
Virgil van Dijk ($5.5m) – Defender
Cody Gakpo ($7.7m) – Forward
Matchday 4 captain pick: Denzel Dumfries
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Cody Gakpo
Free kicks: Frenkie de Jong, Cody Gakpo
Corners: Frenkie de Jong, Cody Gakpo
Morocco’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Achraf Hakimi ($6.0m) – Defender
Ismael Saibari ($6.8m) – Midifelder
Brahim Diaz ($6.4m) – Midfielder
Matchday 4 captain pick: Ismael Saibari
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Brahim Diaz, Achraf Hakimi
Free kicks: Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Diaz
Corners: Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Diaz
Key stats
- The only previous FIFA World Cup meeting between the sides came in Orlando in the final group game of USA 1994, where current Netherlands head coach Ronald Koeman captained the Dutch to a 2-1 win. They have met twice in friendlies since: Morocco won 2-1 in Arnhem in April 1999, before the Netherlands returned the favour with a 2-1 victory in Agadir in May 2017.
- The Netherlands completed a sixth successive FIFA World Cup group stage without losing a match, replicating their achievements of 1998, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2022.
- The Netherlands have scored two or more goals in eight of their last nine World Cup matches.
- Morocco have kept five clean sheets in their last seven World Cup matches against European teams.
- Morocco have qualified for the knockout phase at the global showpiece for the third time, having previously done so in 1986 and 2022. They were unbeaten in the group on all three occasions.
- Morocco have lost only two of their last 11 FIFA World Cup matches (W5 D4).
- Morocco have scored six goals so far at FIFA World Cup 2026, equalling their highest-ever total in a single edition, which came in Qatar in 2022.
- Morocco have scored in four successive World Cup matches for the first time.
- Yassine Bounou and Sofyan Amrabat could both reach the landmark of ten FIFA World Cup appearances.
- Ismael Saibari found the net in all three group stage matches, becoming the first Moroccan player and also the first African to score in three successive World Cup fixtures.
- With three goals, Ismael Saibari is now Morocco’s joint-top goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history, alongside Youssef En-Nesyri.
- Morocco defender Anas Salah-Eddine spent the 2025/26 season on loan at PSV. He has also played in the Eredivisie for Ajax (2020/21, 2023/24) and FC Twente (2022/25) and represented the Netherlands at youth and Under-21 level before switching allegiance to Morocco in 2025.
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Netherlands vs Morocco prediction
The Netherlands do have some impressive defensive depth but Ronald Koeman has now overseen just two clean sheets in nine major international tournaments as the Dutch boss.
Morocco will believe that they can punish that leakiness, which is surprising given how strong the Dutch defence appears on paper. The Moroccans will also be fearful of being punished by a strong Dutch attack, though, after they conceded twice to the minnows of Haiti.
We think backing something of a surprise here would be a decent bet with Morocco coming out on top with a clearer idea of how they want to play than a Dutch side that appear to still be searching for their preferred front three, despite scoring ten goals in three group stage games.
Netherlands vs Morocco betting tip: Morocco to win & both teams to score
