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
Team news will appear here closer to the match…
Predicted XI (X-X-X-X): TBC
Unavailable: TBC
Questionable: TBC
Netherlands team news
Team news will appear here closer to the match…
Predicted XI (X-X-X-X): TBC
Unavailable: TBC
Questionable: TBC
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
Virgil van Dijk ($5.5m) – Defender
Crysencio Summerville ($5.3m) – Midfielder
Matchday 3 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
Key stats
- Coming soon
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
