Netherlands vs Sweden Preview: Team News & Prediction | FIFA World Cup 2026 | Group Stage
In what is a fascinating Group F at FIFA World Cup 2026, the second round of group stage fixtures begin with the Netherlands facing a strong Sweden side in Dallas.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – BBC / USA – FOX Sports
How to watch online: UK – BBC iPlayer & the BBC Sport website & app / USA – FOX One
Netherlands preview: Frustrated in their opener
The Netherlands performed well a couple of years ago as they reached the semi-finals of UEFA EURO 2024 and the Oranje will expect to go deep in North America this summer but question marks remain over Ronald Koeman and that is especially the case after their opening game against Japan at Dallas Stadium last week.
The Dutch took a second-half lead via a Virgil van Dijk header against the Japanese before Japan pegged them back, which they did again after Crysencio Summerville had re-established the Europeans’ lead. The Dutch were accused of being overly cautious at the end of that game as they sought to protect an opening-game three points.
Sweden preview: Slick and scoring Swedes
Sweden failed to win a game in their UEFA qualifying group stage game in the autumn of 2025 but, as a result of their 2024-25 UEFA Nations League campaign, they earned themselves a play-off berth and, following the appointment of Graham Potter, they took advantage of that and began their summer with a bang last week.
The excellent striking partnership of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres shone through with both big-money strikers scoring for the Swedes, along with a Mattias Svanberg strike and a Yasin Ayari brace as they demolished the Tunisians by five goals to one in Monterrey, leading to the sacking of Sabri Lamouchi of Tunisia, such was the dominance shown by Sweden.
Netherlands team news: Finding an attacking formula
Further team news will appear here closer to the match after pre-match press conferences...
Crysencio Summerville was a surprise inclusion in the Netherlands' starting eleven against the Japanese and the West Ham United attacker has secured his spot with a goal, but finding a formula up front remains something on the to-do list for Koeman.
The defence, with Micky van de Ven marauding down the flank at left-back, appears well set after the withdrawal of Jurrien Timber and the midfield appears to pick itself, too. Donyell Malen finished the season well but struggled to find that form alongside Cody Gakpo, although Koeman may well go with the same side for this one to try and build some cohesion in attack.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Hecke, Van Dijk, Van de Ven; Gravenberch, De Jong, Reijnders; Summerville, Malen, Gakpo
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Questionable:
Sweden team news: No need to change
Further team news will appear here closer to the match after pre-match press conferences...
The back-three system that Graham Potter has worked on with Sweden thrived against the Tunisians and should be even more preferable here, capable of hitting on the counter-attack with speed and efficiency.
The strength in depth of the Swedish squad is also something worth noting with Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lucas Bergvall coming off the bench alongside the likes of Daniel Svensson, Anthony Elanga and Mattias Svanberg.
Predicted XI (3-5-2): Nordfeldt; Lagerbielke, Hien, Lindelof; Bernhardsson, Ayari, Karlstrom, Gudmundsson; Nygren; Isak, Gyokeres
Unavailable:
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Netherlands’ top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Denzel Dumfries ($5.7m) – Defender
Virgil van Dijk ($5.5m) – Defender
Crysencio Summerville ($5.3m) – Midfielder
Matchday 2 captain pick: Virgil van Dijk
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Cody Gakpo, Memphis Depay
Free kicks: Frenkie de Jong, Cody Gakpo
Corners: Frenkie de Jong, Cody Gakpo
Sweden’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Victor Lindelof ($4.0m) – Defender
Alexander Isak ($8.0m) – Forward
Viktor Gyokeres ($7.8m) – Forward
Matchday 2 captain pick: Viktor Gyokeres
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Viktor Gyokeres, Alexander Isak
Free kicks: Anthony Elanga, Mattias Svanberg
Corners: Daniel Svensson, Anthony Elanga, Yasin Ayari
Key stats
- The two sides have met 25 times, with the Netherlands leading the head‑to‑head with 11 wins to Sweden’s eight, along with six draws. Their last major final tournament encounter was in the quarter-finals of UEFA EURO 2004 when the Dutch progressed via a penalty shoot-out after a 0-0 draw.
- Remarkably, the Netherlands have lost only two of their 34 group stage matches at the FIFA World Cup (including both first and second group phases). The only teams to beat them in group play are Scotland in 1978 and Belgium in 1994. They are currently unbeaten in their last 17 group stage games (W12 D5).
- The Netherlands have not lost a World Cup match in regular play since Spain edged them 1-0 in the 2010 final. Since then, across 13 games, they have recorded eight wins and five draws — the longest unbeaten run in their World Cup history. Their only eliminations in that span have come via penalty shootouts: first against Argentina in the 2014 semi‑finals, and again in the 2022 quarter‑finals.
- Ronald Koeman, the Netherlands’ head coach, made his international debut as a player against Sweden, in a 0-3 friendly defeat in Utrecht in April 1983. That was the only time he faced Sweden in 78 appearances for the Netherlands, and he has yet to encounter the Scandinavian side as Oranje’s head coach.
- Sweden have only failed to score in one of their last 16 FIFA World Cup group matches.
- Sweden are aiming to start a FIFA World Cup campaign with successive wins for only the second time. The only time they achieved the feat was in 1958 when they hosted the competition.
- Viktor Gyökeres has scored 16 goals in his last 15 international appearances.
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Netherlands vs Sweden prediction
In their play-off campaign, Graham Potter deployed a back three that he has trusted again in this tournament and it is really working well for the Swedes, scoring 11 goals in those three matches. They are more protected at the back and have some firepower that may well be the envy of the vast majority of participating teams in North America, and especially the Netherlands.
The Dutch have plenty of variety across their squad and especially in attack but they perhaps lack a leading light in terms of quality in the final third. That said, they, as they were against a strong Japan side, remain a threat and this should be quite a fun watch for the neutral as the Swedes seek to maintain their impressive counter-attacking and pressing game in Texas.
Netherlands vs Sweden betting tip: Both teams to score
