Tunisia vs Netherlands Preview: Team News & Prediction | FIFA World Cup 2026 | Group Stage
Not necessarily thought so before the tournament but now, heading into the final round of group stage fixtures, this one is perhaps the biggest mis-match in the first round of this summer's FIFA World Cup.
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
Tunisia preview: An awful campaign
It has been a miserable campaign for Tunisia with the North Africans having already been eliminated after a woeful campaign thus far. The Eagles of Carthage took the extreme decision to sack manager Sabri Lamouchi after their opener, replacing him with former Saudi Arabia boss Herve Renard.
Lamouchi oversaw a 5-1 demolition at the hands of Sweden in their opening game in Monterrey before Renard came in, lambasted his squad and let them know what the Tunisian public thought of them, and oversaw a 4-0 hammering at the hands of Japan, leaving the Tunisians in a sorry state.
Netherlands preview: Handbrake off
The Netherlands come into this one on the back of Ronald Koeman taking the handbrake off with a Brian Brobbey first half brace, a Cody Gakpo second half brace and then a late strike scored by West Ham United winger Crysencio Summerville rounded off an emphatic and impressive 5-1 demolition of Sweden in Houston.
That came on the back of Koeman receiving some criticism for his fairly conservative tactics in the second half against Japan in their opener. That was a game in which the Dutch twice took the lead before being pegged back with little intent to get forward in the closing stages almost making a second Japan equaliser an inevitability.
Tunisia team news: Constantly changing
After a cull of the experienced players done by Sabri Lamouchi, new manager Herve Renard then made changes to the eleven in his debut game against Japan with the standout change being Aymen Dahmen replacing Mouhib Chamakh in goal.
Rani Khedira was also dropped to the bench but may get a start here and it wouldn't be a surprise to see both Ismael Gharbi and Elias Achouri also drafted in.
Predicted XI (3-5-1-1): Dahmen; Rekik, Talbi, Bronn; Valery, Mejbri, Khedira, Skhiri, Abdi; Ben Slimane; Achouri
Unavailable:
Questionable:
Netherlands team news: Couple of doubts
Virgil van Dijk is an injury doubt here but is expected to be fit and available, while Frenkie de Jong was a doubt against Sweden before being replaced after an hour with Ronald Koeman managing his fitness.
Crysencio Summerville was a surprise exclusion from the eleven against the Swedes but he is expected to come into the eleven now ahead of Donyell Malen, although will need to be cleared after a head injury against Sweden - an injury that Quinten Timber has now recovered from.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Hecke, Van Dijk, Van de Ven; Gravenberch, Koopmeiners, Reijnders; Summerville, Brobbey, Gakpo
Unavailable:
Questionable: Van Dijk (Injured), De Jong (Fitness), Summerville (Concussion)
Tunisia’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Montassar Talbi ($3.9m) – Defender
Anis Ben Silmane ($5.3m) – Midfielder
Hannibal Mejbri ($4.8m) – Midfielder
Matchday 3 captain pick: Hannibal Mejbri
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Ismael Gharbi, Ali Abdi
Free kicks: Hannibal Mejbri
Corners: Hannibal Mejbri, Ali Abdi, Ismael Gharbi
Netherlands’ top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Denzel Dumfries ($5.7m) – Defender
Crysencio Summerville ($5.3m) – Midfielder
Cody Gakpo ($7.7m) – Forward
Matchday 3 captain pick: Denzel Dumfries
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Cody Gakpo
Free kicks: Frenkie de Jong, Cody Gakpo
Corners: Frenkie de Jong, Cody Gakpo
Key stats
- This is their first World Cup meeting. Tunisia have hosted the Netherlands in three friendlies, losing the first, 4-0 in April 1978, but drawing both games since, most recently in February 2009 (1-1).
- Tunisia have won only one of their 13 FIFA World Cup matches against European opposition (D4 L8), their sole victory coming in a 1-0 triumph over France in their final group game in 2022.
- Ellyes Skhiri could set a new Tunisian record for FIFA World Cup appearances with his ninth, having currently shared the benchmark of eight with Riadh Bouazizi and Kais Ghodhbane.
- The Netherlands are unbeaten in their five World Cup matches against African teams with a 1-1 draw against Egypt in 1990 followed by four successive wins.
- The Netherlands have lost only two of their 35 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 18 group stage games (W13 D5).
- The Netherlands have never failed to advance from their group at a FIFA World Cup, progressing from all nine first‑round groups and both second‑round groups they have contested.
- The Netherlands could complete a sixth successive World Cup group stage without losing a match (1998, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2022).
- Crysencio Summerville has scored in each of his first two FIFA World Cup appearances. Should he find the net again, he would become only the second Dutch player to score in his first three World Cup games, matching Cody Gakpo’s feat from 2022.
Click here for EVEN MORE stats & facts about this fixture!
Tunisia vs Netherlands prediction
Herve Renard and his Tunisia squad will not be able to restore too much pride in this game but they will want to leave with at least something after a disastrous few months, which had begun with a poor CAF Africa Cup of Nations campaign earlier this year under Sami Trabelsi.
The Netherlands may rotate here as they believe they can get past the Tunisians without being at full strength but the intensity and mentality should remain aggressive as they try to hold off Japan at the top of Group F.
Tunisia have to become more solid than they have been but, with a need for goals and in a good groove after their defeat of the Swedes, the Dutch will be confident of racking up the goals once again in Kansas City.
Tunisia vs Netherlands betting tip: Netherlands to score three or more goals
