Head coach Ronald Koeman confirmed the Netherlands' final squad ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America, with Virgil van Dijk set to captain the side once again. The Dutch squad combines established tournament players with a younger core as Koeman attempts to guide the Oranje to their first FIFA World Cup title.
Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong remains central to the Netherlands' midfield structure and is expected to dictate the tempo of the side, while Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo once again enters a major tournament carrying significant attacking responsibility.
Donyell Malen also arrives in strong form after an impressive spell with Roma, nabbing 14 goals and two assists in 18 Serie A appearances following his January move to Italy.
Here's a look at how the Dutch announced their World Cup squad on social media:
One of the biggest talking points from Koeman's squad announcement was the omission of Jeremie Frimpong despite the Liverpool full-back being fully fit. The Dutch are also forced to cope with the absence of Xavi Simons, who misses the tournament after suffering an ACL injury in April.
Defender Matthijs de Ligt also failed to make the final squad because of ongoing injury concerns.
There was positive news, however, with Memphis Depay and Jurriën Timber both recovering in time to secure places in the final 26-man squad after recent fitness doubts.
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Depay enters the tournament as the Netherlands' all-time leading goalscorer and will look to continue adding to his record tally of 55 international goals during the competition.
Koeman's preparations have focused heavily on defensive structure and tactical flexibility, with players such as Micky van de Ven and Wout Weghorst expected to provide specific tactical options during matches.
Netherlands' FIFA World Cup History
The Netherlands are widely regarded as one of the strongest nations never to have won the FIFA World Cup despite reaching the final on three occasions.
The Dutch reached back-to-back finals in 1974 and 1978 during the era of “Total Football”, losing to West Germany and Argentina respectively.
Their most recent final appearance came at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, where they were defeated 1-0 by Spain after extra time.
Impressively, the Dutch have reached the knockout phase of every tournament they have participated in from 1974 onwards.
The Netherlands FIFA World Cup 2026 Squad
Goalkeepers:
Mark Flekken (Bayer Leverkusen), Robin Roefs (Sunderland), Bart Verbruggen (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Defenders:
Nathan Aké (Manchester City), Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan), Jorrel Hato (Chelsea), Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton & Hove Albion), Jurriën Timber (Arsenal), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Micky van de Ven (Tottenham Hotspur)
Midfielders:
Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Marten de Roon (Atalanta), Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), Justin Kluivert (AFC Bournemouth), Teun Koopmeiners (Juventus), Tijjani Reijnders (Manchester City), Guus Til (PSV Eindhoven), Quinten Timber (Olympique de Marseille), Mats Wieffer (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Forwards:
Brian Brobbey (Sunderland), Memphis Depay (Corinthians), Cody Gakpo (Liverpool), Noa Lang (Galatasaray), Donyell Malen (AS Roma), Crysencio Summerville (West Ham United), Wout Weghorst (AFC Ajax)
Netherlands FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group F Fixtures
June 14, 2026: Netherlands vs Japan — Dallas Stadium, Dallas, USA
June 20, 2026: Netherlands vs Sweden — Houston Stadium, Houston, USA
June 25, 2026: Netherlands vs Tunisia — Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, USA
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