World Cup 2026 Group F Profile: Who Will Progress?

Group F is probably one of the most open groups in the entire tournament. The Netherlands go into the competition as favourites, but they have suffered a real setback: with Xavi Simons sidelined through injury, they are missing a true difference-maker in attack. Japan stunned Germany and Spain in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup, proving that the Samurai Blue are serious contenders. Sweden boast two top Premier League strikers in Gyökeres and Isak, but they already looked shaky during qualification. And while Tunisia may be considered the underdogs, they are by no means a team that will go down without a fight.

Netherlands vs Japan 14 June 2026, 22:00 – AT&T Stadium (Dallas, USA) Tip: 1	Sweden vs Tunisia 15 June 2026, 4:00 – Estadio BBVA (Monterrey, Mexiko) Tip: 1	Netherlands vs Sweden 20 June 2026, 19:00 – NRG Stadium (Houston, USA) Tip: X
Tunisia vs Japan 21 June 2026, 6:00 – Estadio BBVA (Monterrey, Mexiko) Tip: 2	Tunisia vs Netherlands 26 June 2026, 1:00 – Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, USA) Tip: 2	Japan vs Sweden 26 June 2026, 1:00 – AT&T Stadium (Dallas, USA) Tip: X

The Oranje are the clear favourites: the squad built around Van Dijk, De Jong and Gakpo simply has more individual quality than the competition. Behind them, things get interesting: only fine margins separate Japan and Sweden, with both teams having the potential to finish second. The Samurai Blue arrive with an impressive qualification record, while Sweden boast two of Europe’s best strikers. Tunisia are hoping for a miracle and have already proven in the past just how difficult they are to play against.

Sweden

Qualification was anything but convincing: Sweden finished bottom of their group, meaning only winning their Nations League group opened the path to the playoffs. There, they first defeated Ukraine and then Poland. Coach Graham Potter relies on team spirit and compact organisation. The key question is whether Isak and Gyökeres can hit top form in time: Isak arrives at the tournament after a long injury layoff, while Gyökeres will only join the squad late due to Arsenal’s Champions League final involvement.

Japan

Japan became the first team worldwide to secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup – and they did so with a remarkable goal difference of 30:3 in Asian qualifying. Japan now possess a generation developed across Europe’s top leagues. Six Bundesliga professionals are included in the squad, among them Bayern Munich’s Hiroki Ito and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Ritsu Doan. Reaching the quarter-finals, a stage Japan have never achieved before, will likely be the target. However, the Japanese have suffered a painful setback: Kaoru Mitoma, one of the squad’s best wingers, is ruled out through injury.

The Netherlands

The Netherlands have reached the World Cup final three times (1974, 1978 and 2010) – and on all three occasions, they returned home without the trophy. Coach Ronald Koeman relies on a proven mix: Virgil van Dijk as the defensive foundation, Frenkie de Jong as the midfield orchestrator and Cody Gakpo as the attacking weapon. The quality is there, but the question remains whether Oranje can deliver the necessary composure in decisive moments. In tight knockout matches, the team has lacked a true clinical finisher for years.

Tunisia

In six World Cup appearances, Tunisia have never progressed beyond the group stage. They are the outsiders in Group F, and the odds leave little doubt about that. However, the North Africans are known for their defensive discipline and have repeatedly delivered strong performances at past World Cups. The new format, in which the eight best third-placed teams also advance to the round of 32, gives Tunisia their greatest opportunity yet to finally reach the knockout stage.