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The Netherlands' squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been confirmed by head coach Ronald Koeman.

Koeman has unveiled his final 26-player roster for this summer’s World Cup, with a strong emphasis on players currently featuring in the English Premier League.

Having reached the World Cup final three times without lifting the trophy, the Dutch side will aim to finally end that drought at the 2026 edition.

Koeman has assembled one of the most balanced squads in the tournament, though the Netherlands are not seen as outright favourites despite making it to the quarter-finals in 2022.

The Oranje cruised through Group G during the qualifiers, remaining unbeaten across eight matches. Only Poland managed to hold them to draws in both encounters.

Their defence is loaded with Premier League experience, featuring Virgil van Dijk, Micky van de Ven, Jorrel Hato, and Jurrien Timber, who has recovered from injury in time for the World Cup. However, Liverpool’s Jeremie Frimpong will miss out on the tournament.

In midfield, Tijjani Reijnders and Ryan Gravenberch provide a solid combination, but Tottenham’s Xavi Simons is ruled out after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Koeman’s main challenge may lie in attack, though he continues to rely on the ever-volatile Memphis Depay, who has become the Netherlands’ all-time leading goal scorer.

Goalkeepers: Bart Verbruggen (Brighton & Hove Albion), Mark Flekken (Bayer Leverkusen), Robin Roefs (Sunderland)

Defenders: Virgil van Dijk (captain) (Liverpool), Denzel Dumfries (Internazionale), Nathan Aké (Manchester City), Jurriën Timber (Arsenal), Micky van de Ven (Tottenham Hotspur), Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton & Hove Albion), Jorrel Hato (Chelsea)

Midfielders: Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Marten de Roon (Atalanta), Tijjani Reijnders (Manchester City), Teun Koopmeiners (Juventus), Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), Mats Wieffer (Brighton & Hove Albion), Quinten Timber (Marseille), Guus Til (PSV Eindhoven)

Forwards: Memphis Depay (Corinthians), Wout Weghorst (Ajax), Donyell Malen (Roma), Cody Gakpo (Liverpool), Noa Lang (Galatasaray), Justin Kluivert (Bournemouth), Brian Brobbey (Sunderland), Crysencio Summerville (West Ham United)

Upcoming fixtures:

June 3, 2026: Netherlands vs Algeria, De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands

June 14, 2026: Netherlands vs Japan, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, United States

June 25, 2026: Tunisia vs Netherlands, Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri, United States

September 24, 2026: Netherlands vs Germany, Johan Cruyff Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands

September 27, 2026: Serbia vs Netherlands, Rajko Mitic Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia

October 1, 2026: Greece vs Netherlands, Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus, Greece

October 4, 2026: Netherlands vs Serbia, Johan Cruyff Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands

November 13, 2026: Netherlands vs Greece, Johan Cruyff Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands

November 16, 2026: Germany vs Netherlands, Germany

Recent results:

March 31, 2026: Netherlands 1-1 Ecuador, Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands

March 27, 2026: Netherlands 2-1 Norway, Johan Cruyff Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands

November 17, 2025: Netherlands 4-0 Lithuania, Johan Cruyff Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands

November 14, 2025: Poland 1-1 Netherlands, Stadion Narodowy, Warsaw, Poland

October 12, 2025: Netherlands 4-0 Finland, Johan Cruyff Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands

October 9, 2025: Malta 0-4 Netherlands, National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta

October 7, 2025: Lithuania 2-3 Netherlands, Darius and Girenas Stadium, Kaunas, Lithuania

September 4, 2025: Netherlands 1-1 Poland, De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands

June 10, 2025: Netherlands 8-0 Malta, Euroborg, Groningen, Netherlands

June 7, 2025: Finland 0-2 Netherlands, Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland

March 23, 2025: Spain 3-3 Netherlands (5-4 pens), Mestalla Stadium, Valencia, Spain

March 20, 2025: Netherlands 2-2 Spain, De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands

The Netherlands will compete in Group F at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Netherlands has a long footballing tradition, and Ronald Koeman himself was a key figure during his playing days. Though a defender, he scored over 250 goals across his club and international career.

This will be Koeman’s second tenure as national team manager, and the 2026 World Cup marks only his second major tournament in charge, following earlier qualification failures for Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup.

During his time in England, Koeman guided Southampton to seventh and sixth-placed finishes, and his debut season with Everton earned him a spot at No.30 in FourFourTwo’s all-time list of the best Premier League managers.

Virgil van Dijk, despite facing a challenging season with his club, remains a cornerstone for both Liverpool and the national team. Ranked No.1 in FourFourTwo’s list of the best centre-backs in the world, his leadership and defensive prowess will be vital for the Dutch campaign.

As the saying goes, ‘attack wins matches, but defence wins titles,’ a sentiment that will ring especially true if the Netherlands hopes to finally lift the World Cup trophy.

Written by Joe Donnohue, Senior Digital Writer, and Isaac Stacey Stronge, Freelance Writer.