Group F preview
Group F may be the most competitive pool in the entire World Cup.
The Netherlands come in as favourites, but Japan have beaten Germany, Spain, England and Brazil in recent years and are no longer a side to be underestimated.
Sweden have two of the most dangerous strikers in the tournament. Tunisia are composed, disciplined and have conceded just five goals in their entire CAF qualifying campaign.
Group F World Cup fixtures and where to watch
| Repair | The day | Kicking (all UK BST) | Location | Where can you watch |
| Netherlands v Japan | June 14 | 21:00 | AT&T Stadium, Arlington | ITV and ITVX |
| Sweden v Tunisia | June 15 | 03:00 | Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe | ITV and ITVX |
| Netherlands v Sweden | June 20 | 18:00 | NRG Stadium, Houston | BBC and iPlayer |
| Tunisia v Japan | June 21 | 05:00 | Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe | BBC and iPlayer |
| Japan v Sweden | June 26 | 00:00 | AT&T Stadium, Arlington | BBC and iPlayer |
| Tunisia v Netherlands | June 26 | 00:00 | Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City | BBC and iPlayer |
Here, we look at the groups in detail.
Netherlands: 2026 World Cup preview, star player, prediction
Coach: Ronald Koeman
Eligibility: UEFA qualification
Best World Cup: Runners-up (1974, 1978, 2010)
The Netherlands has reached three World Cup finals without winning a single one. That weight of history follows Ronald Koeman’s team to North America, but there is a real belief that this generation has the ability to go further.
Oranje topped their UEFA qualifying group without defeat, scoring 27 goals and conceding just four. The squad Koeman has assembled is one of the most Premier League-heavy in Dutch history – 15 of his 26 players plying their trade in England.
Virgil van Dijk captains from centre-back, Micky van de Ven and Jurrien Timber provide quality either side of him, and the midfield axis of Ryan Gravenberch and Frenkie de Jong gives the Netherlands control throughout the pitch.
The loss of Xavi Simons to an ACL injury in April is a huge blow for the Dutch. The Tottenham player has arguably been the team’s most important creative force and has no chance of making the tournament.
Now Koeman must find that talent from elsewhere, with Tijjani Reijnders, Teun Koopmeiners and Justin Kluivert the most likely candidates.
Up front, Memphis Depay – the leading goalscorer – will lead the line alongside Cody Gakpo.
Netherlands star player: Cody Gakpo could be the difference
With Simons gone, Gakpo becomes the team’s most important offensive player.
The Liverpool striker has the control, movement and goal threat to not solve any defense in this team. When he plays with confidence, he is one of the most dangerous strikers in world football.
Prediction: The Netherlands will top the group
Depth and experience make them the most complete team in Group F. Japan will provide a tough test, but the Dutch should come through.
Japan: 2026 World Cup preview, star player, prediction
Coach: Hajime Moriyasu
Eligibility: AFC Qualifiers
Best World Cup: Round of 16 (2002, 2010, 2018, 2022)
Japan did not come to this tournament as an underdog, but as a team that earned the right to be taken seriously.
Hajime Moriyasu’s team beat Germany and Spain in the last World Cup. In the March international window, they beat Scotland 1-0 and then won 1-0 at Wembley, becoming the first Asian country to beat England.
Losing Kaoru Mitoma is a huge blow. The Brighton midfielder suffered an injury in May which required surgery, which ruled him out for four to six months.
The absence of Takumi Minamino, who tore his ACL in December, means that Japan is going to North America without two of its most creative and powerful attacking players.
Captain Wataru Endo, recovering from an ankle injury while walking, leads the way. Takefusa Kubo, Ritsu Doan and Junya Ito provide speed and craft in wide areas. Daichi Kamada provides a goal threat from midfield.
Moriyasu has options and knows how to use them. Japan press hard, defend collectively and can beat any team in the group on their day.
Japan’s star player: Takefusa Kubo is a creative force
With Mitoma gone, Kubo must step forward as Japan’s most dangerous attacker.
The Real Sociedad striker’s technical ability, movement between the lines and ability to create and score goals make him a player that opponents need to contain a lot.
Prediction: Japan will come in second
Moriyasu’s side have the experience, organization and quality to come into this team despite their injury problems. The Netherlands starter will be an acid test.
Sweden: 2026 World Cup preview, star player, prediction
Coach: Graham Potter
Eligibility: UEFA Nations League playoffs
Best World Cup: Third place (1950, 1994)
Sweden’s road to the World Cup was as impressive as qualifying matches can be.
Graham Potter, in the job for less than six months after replacing Jon Dahl Tomasson, guided his side to the UEFA Nations League qualifiers in March.
Viktor Gyokeres scored a hat-trick against Ukraine, he won it in the 88th minute against Poland and made Sweden play in the World Cup.
A cohesive Potter team is built around two of the most dangerous strikers in the tournament. Gyokeres arrived at Arsenal last summer and has played a key role in their Premier League title success.
Alexander Isak has made his record-breaking journey to Liverpool over time and, when fit, is one of the best forwards in the world. Getting both of them on the pitch fit and fit is a challenge.
Behind these two, there is real quality. Anthony Elanga provides pace from the right, Lucas Bergvall and Yasin Ayari provide Sweden with power and creativity in midfield and Victor Lindelof captains the right flank alongside Isak Hien and Carl Starfelt.
Sweden’s star player: Viktor Gyokeres arrives in the form of his life
Gyokeres is one of the most in-demand strikers in the world right now and is headed to North America fresh off winning the Premier League.
His combination of strength, pace and finishing quality make him a nightmare for any defense to deal with. If Sweden are going to go deep in this tournament, he will be at the core of it.
Prediction: Sweden will push for second place
The firepower of Gyokeres and Isak makes Sweden a real threat to any team in this group. A run to the knockout rounds is a realistic goal.
Tunisia: 2026 World Cup preview, star player, prediction
Coach: Sabri Lamouchi
Eligibility: CAF qualification
Best World Cup: Group stage
Tunisia has never made it past the group stage of the World Cup. Seven appearances, seven early exits. That’s a record Sabri Lamouchi will try to change in North America.
The Carthage Eagles managed to put in the best defense in the African qualifiers, winning nine out of ten games, drawing one and keeping a clean sheet in all ten.
Lamouchi was appointed earlier this year after Sami Trabelsi was sacked following Mali’s quarter-final exit at AFCON 2025, and had only two games in charge before arriving at the World Cup.
Ellyes Skhiri is the team’s captain in defensive midfield, bringing Champions League experience from his time at Eintracht Frankfurt and the learning style of the game that unites this Tunisian unit.
Hannibal Mejbri, who has established himself at Burnley, provides the energy while Hazem Mastouri leads the line and is Tunisia’s biggest threat in front of goal.
The concern, as always happens in Tunisia, is long enough to go forward. They are built to be tough to beat, but putting the ball in the net against the Netherlands, Sweden and Japan will require more than that.
Tunisia’s star player: Hannibal Mejbri is the key to creativity
Hannibal is already one of Tunisia’s most important players at only 23 years old.
The Burnley midfielder has the technical quality to unlock defences, and his Premier League experience gives him a foundation few in the squad can match.
Prediction: A narrow miss for Tunisia
The level of competition in the group makes a first round appearance all but impossible.
Predicted World Cup 2026 Group F table
| It wins | Drawings | To lose | Points | |
| In the Netherlands | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| Japan | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| in Sweden | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Tunisia | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
