Group F at the 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature the Netherlands, Japan, Sweden and Tunisia.

The top two teams from each group, as well as the top eight third-place finishers, each advance to the knockout phase (Round of 32).

Here's what awaits in Group F during the expanded 48-team tournament, which will unfold June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Mexico and Canada.

• June 14 - 4 pm ET: Netherlands vs. Japan | Arlington, Texas
• June 14 - 10 pm ET: Sweden vs Tunisia | Guadalajara, Nuevo León
• June 20 - 1 pm ET: Netherlands vs. Sweden | Houston, Texas
• June 21 - 12 am ET: Tunisia vs. Japan | Guadalajara, Nuevo León
• June 25 - 7 pm ET: Japan vs. Sweden | Arlington, Texas
• June 25 - 7 pm ET: Tunisia vs. Netherlands | Kansas City, Missouri

• FIFA World Ranking: 7th
• How they qualified: UEFA qualification Group G winners
• Head coach: Ronald Koeman

Key players

• Cody Gakpo: A cornerstone piece of English powerhouse Liverpool since 2023, the versatile winger has 19 goals in 49 international appearances with the Oranje.
• Virgil Van Dijk: Another Dutch player at Liverpool, Van Dijk is considered by many to be one of the best center backs of this generation and offers a veteran presence and calmness on the backline.
• Tijjani Reijnders: After a strong spell at Italian giants AC Milan, Reijnders moved to Manchester City and is enjoying the prime of his career, featuring in 47 games across all competitions this season.

World Cup history

The Netherlands will be making their 12th World Cup appearance.

The Dutch have reached the tournament final three times (1974, 1978, 2010) but have never won the World Cup.

Expectations

After making the final at the 2010 World Cup and finishing third at the 2014 edition, standards are always high for the Netherlands in the modern era.

Viewed by many as trophy contenders, the Dutch will hope to replicate their past successes, or perhaps go one step further to win the entire tournament.

• FIFA World Ranking: 18th
• How they qualified: AFC qualification third round Group C winners
• Head coach: Hajime Moriyasu

Key players

• Wataru Endo: A leader in the Japanese midfield, Endo has spent the last three seasons with Liverpool. He offers versatility, with the ability to play anywhere in midfield, as well as across the backline on occasion. 
• Ayase Ueda: Ueda is Japan's top scorer in their World Cup squad, with 16 goals in 39 appearances. He plays his club soccer with Dutch side Feyenoord.
• Daichi Kamada: A key part of Crystal Palace's midfield, Kamada has helped the Eagles to the 2026 Europa Conference League title as well as the 2025 FA Cup and Community Shield since joining the club.

World Cup history

Japan will be making their eighth consecutive World Cup appearance.

The Samurai Blue have reached the Round of 16 four times (2002, '10, '18, '22) but have never won a knockout stage match.

Expectations

Often heralded as a World Cup dark horse, Japan will hope to win the group and make a deep run, with quarterfinals being a realistic dream.

• FIFA World Ranking: 38th
• How they qualified: UEFA playoff Path B winner
• Head coach: Graham Potter

Key players

• Viktor Gyökeres: The marquee signing of the summer of 2025, Gyökeres helped lead Arsenal to a historic Premier League title in 2025-26. He is also Sweden's top scorer in the World Cup squad with 20 goals.
• Alexander Isak: Alongside Gyökeres, Isak forms one half of Sweden's formidable attacking duo. Another star Liverpool player in Group F, the 26-year-old striker is hoping for a breakout World Cup.
• Herman Johansson: A rock at the back for FC Dallas, Johansson joined the Texas club after he helped Mjällby AIF win the 2025 Allsvenskan title.

World Cup history

Sweden will make their 13th World Cup appearance and first trip since 2018.

Their most successful tournament was in 1958 when they reached the tournament final as hosts, falling 5-2 to Brazil.

Expectations

The lack of World Cup experience won't help Sweden, but making it out of the group, or even winning it, remains a possibility, given their sheer talent.

• FIFA World Ranking: 44th
• How they qualified: CAF qualification Group H winners
• Head coach: Sabri Lamouchi

Key players

• Anis Ben Slimane: After playing in two matches at the 2022 tournament, Ben Slimane has become an EFL Championship star with Norwich City alongside former Vancouver Whitecap Ali Ahmed. 
• Ellyes Skhiri: A midfielder for German Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt, Skhiri is Tunisia's star player of this generation and looks set to captain his national team at the 2026 edition of the tournament. 
• Rayan Elloumi: A breakout star with Vancouver, the 18-year-old Elloumi will be among the youngest players at this summer's World Cup.

World Cup history

Tunisia will be making their seventh World Cup appearance.

Although the Eagles of Carthage have never reached the tournament's knockout stages, they made history in 1978 as the first African team to win a World Cup match in a 3-1 victory over Mexico.

Expectations

There's hope for Tunisia this summer, but with such a testing group, their eyes will be on qualifying as a third-place team.