Tunisia vs Netherlands FIFA World Cup 2026 Preview: Everything you need to know

World Cup - Grp. F

Kansas City Stadium

Tunisia vs the Netherlands will kick off on 25 Jun 2026 at 19:00 EST and 23:00 GMT.

Match context and other insights

Ronald Koeman's Netherlands side enters the final group game full of confidence after a 5–1 thrashing of Sweden, following their 2-2 draw with Japan. The Dutch right-hand side has been particularly effective, with Inter Milan fullback Denzel Dumfries a constant threat with his overlapping runs and effective combination with Cody Gakpo.

Tunisia's Carthage Eagles have already been mathematically eliminated following consecutive heavy defeats to Sweden (5–1) and Japan (4–0), so they're only playing for pride here after a tumultuous campaign in which they sacked manager Sabri Lamouchi after the Sweden defeat and hired legendary fellow Frenchman Herve Renard.

Getty Images

Tunisia's key players and coach

Tunisia is anchored by midfielder and captain Ellyes Skhiri, creative engine Hannibal Mejbri, and dynamic winger Elias Achouri. Their usual defensive discipline and organisation deserted them in the opening two matchdays, so new manager Renard will likely set up his side to frustrate the Netherlands as they bow out of the tournament.

Getty Images

The Netherlands' key players and coach

Skipper Virgil van Dijk continues to be the Dutch defensive pillar. Vastly experienced, the 34-year-old will lead an exciting, young squad. 

The Dutch are blessed in the right-back position with Inter Milan's Denzel Dumfries claiming two assists in the Netherlands' 5-1 rout of Sweden.

In the centre of midfield, everything goes through FC Barcelona's metronome, Frenkie de Jong. 63-year-old coach Ronald Koeman's task is to take one of the great World Cup underachievers to their first-ever crown.

Getty Images

Likely Tunisia XI

Dahmen; Bronn, Talbi, Rekik; Valery, Ben Slimane, Shkiri, Abdi; Saad, Mejbri; Tounekti.

Likely Netherlands XI

Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Hecke, Van Dijk, Van de Ven; Gravenberch, De Jong, Reijnders; Malen, Brobbey, Gakpo.

Tunisia 26-man squad

Goalkeepers: Sabri Ben Hessen (Etoile Sahel), Abdelmouhib Chamakh (Club Africain), Aymen Dahman (CS Sfaxien).

Defenders: Ali Abdi (Nice), Adem Arous (Kasimpasa), Mohamed Amine Ben Hamida (Esperance), Dylan Bronn (Servette Geneva), Raed Chikhaoui (US Monastir), Moutaz Neffati (Norrkoping), Omar Rekik (NK Maribor), Montassar Talbi (Lorient), Yan Valery (Young Boys Berne).

Midfielders: Mortadha Ben Ouanes (Kasimpasa), Anis Ben Slimane (Norwich City), Ismael Gharbi (FC Augsburg), Rani Khedira (Union Berlin), Mohamed Hadj Mahmoud (Lugano), Hannibal Mejbri (Burnley), Ellyes Skhiri (Eintracht Frankfurt).

Forwards: Elias Achouri (FC Copenhagen), Khalil Ayari (Paris St Germain), Firas Chaouat (Club Africain), Rayan Elloumi (Vancouver Whitecaps), Hazem Mastouri (Dynamo Makhachkala), Elias Saad (Hannover 96), Sebastian Tounekti (Celtic).

Netherlands 26-man squad

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

Defenders: Nathan Ake (Manchester City), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan), Jorrel Hato (Chelsea), Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton & Hove Albion), Jurrien Timber (Arsenal), Micky van de Ven (Tottenham Hotspur)

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

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

Getty Images

Team news & squads

Tunisia vs Netherlands Probable lineups

Tunisia

TUN

Formation

Netherlands

NED

Netherlands

NED

Manager

• H. Renard

Tunisia are managed on an interim basis following the dismissal of Sabri Lamouchi after the opening defeat to Sweden. No confirmed injuries or suspensions are currently available for the squad, and no probable starting lineup has been released. Updates are expected closer to kick-off.

The Netherlands are managed by Ronald Koeman. No confirmed injuries or suspensions are listed in the available data at this stage, and no projected XI has been confirmed. Further squad information will be added as it becomes available.

Form

Tunisia arrive in poor form, recording one win, one draw, and three defeats from their last five matches. Their most recent outing was the 5-1 World Cup loss to Sweden on June 15, a result that also triggered the sacking of their head coach. Before that, they were beaten 5-0 by Belgium in a friendly on June 6 and lost 1-0 to Austria on June 1. A goalless draw with Canada and a narrow 1-0 win over Haiti represent their only positive results across that run. Tunisia have scored just two goals while conceding 12 in those five fixtures.

The Netherlands have recorded two wins, two draws, and one defeat across their last five matches. Their most recent result was the 2-2 draw with Japan in their World Cup opener on June 14, a match in which they led twice before conceding a late header. Before that, they beat Uzbekistan 2-1 in a friendly on June 8 and lost 1-0 to Algeria on June 3. A draw with Ecuador and a 2-1 win over Norway complete the five-match run. The Dutch have scored seven goals and conceded five across those fixtures.

Head-to-Head Record

TUN

Last match

NED

0

Wins

1

Draw

0

Wins

• Tunisia

  1

  -

  1

  Netherlands

1

Goals scored

1

Games over 2.5 goals

0/1

Both teams scored

1/1

The only meeting on record between these two sides ended 1-1, a friendly played on February 11, 2009, with Tunisia as the designated home team. With just one match in the dataset, no broader pattern can be drawn from the head-to-head record.

Standings

In Group F of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Tunisia currently sit fourth while the Netherlands are third.