Team profile
World Cup Group F betting tips and prediction
The Netherlands are favourites to win Group F at the FIFA World Cup, with Ronald Koeman’s side priced at 1.73 to top a section also featuring Japan, Sweden and Tunisia.
The Dutch are expected to qualify comfortably for the Round of 32 with international betting sites, but this is one of the more balanced groups at the 2026 World Cup.
Japan arrive with technical quality, tactical discipline and a fearless pressing game, Sweden bring elite attacking firepower through Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres, while Tunisia are organised, physical and capable of making life awkward for every opponent.
MORE: World Cup 2026
Japan are the second favourites to win Group F at 4.00 and look like one of the most dangerous sides outside the traditional World Cup powers. Hajime Moriyasu’s team are technically sharp, tactically mature and capable of hurting bigger nations through quick transitions and aggressive pressing.
Sweden, priced at 5.00 to top the group, may be the most dangerous outsider in the section. Graham Potter has a squad built around Premier League quality, with Isak, Gyokeres and Anthony Elanga giving the Swedes a forward line capable of troubling any defence. Isak has declared himself fit after breaking his leg in December following his high-priced defection from Newcastle to Liverpool.
Tunisia are outsiders at 10.00 to win Group F, but Sabri Lamouchi’s side should not be dismissed. The North Africans have enough defensive organisation and midfield grit to frustrate opponents, while Hannibal Mejbri and Ellyes Skhiri give them quality in central areas.
Lets take a deep dive into each Group F team’s prospects, including their captains, coaches, past World Cup results, predicted lineups and much more.
Group F Squads
🇳🇱 Netherlands
- Manager: Ronald Koeman
- Captain: Virgil van Dijk
- Group F winner odds: 1.73
- Qualify Group F odds: 1.07
The Netherlands have the strongest squad in Group F and deserve favouritism, but this is not a section they can cruise through. Koeman still has the defensive platform of Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Ake and Micky van de Ven, while Frenkie de Jong, Tijjani Reijnders and Ryan Gravenberch give the Dutch excellent ball progression through midfield. The attack has depth rather than one obvious superstar, with Cody Gakpo, Memphis Depay, Donyell Malen, Noa Lang and Wout Weghorst giving Koeman several different ways to hurt teams. The concern is whether the Netherlands can turn possession into consistent tournament control, particularly against a Japan side that presses intelligently and a Sweden team that can punish space in transition. Still, the Dutch have the balance, experience and individual class to win the group.
- Confederation: UEFA
- Best World Cup: Runners-up (1974, 1978, 2010)
- World Cup qualifications: 12
- Overall World Cup record: P55 W30 D14 L11 F96 A52
- How they qualified: Netherlands qualified through UEFA qualifying.
- Predicted lineup: Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Dijk, Van de Ven, Ake; De Jong, Reijnders, Gravenberch; Gakpo, Depay, Malen.
- Squad: Goalkeepers: Mark Flekken, Robin Roefs, Bart Verbruggen.
Defenders: Nathan Ake, Denzel Dumfries, Jorrel Hato, Jurrien Timber, Jan Paul van Hecke, Micky van de Ven, Virgil van Dijk.
Midfielders: Frenkie de Jong, Marten de Roon, Ryan Gravenberch, Teun Koopmeiners, Tijjani Reijnders, Guus Til, Quinten Timber, Mats Wieffer.
Forwards: Brian Brobbey, Memphis Depay, Cody Gakpo, Justin Kluivert, Noa Lang, Donyell Malen, Crysencio Summerville, Wout Weghorst.
🇯🇵 Japan
- Manager: Hajime Moriyasu
- Captain: Wataru Endo
- Group F winner odds: 4.00
- Qualify Group F odds: 1.25
Japan are no longer the plucky underdogs of world football. The Samurai Blue have become a genuinely dangerous tournament side, with their pressing, technical ability and tactical discipline making them a nightmare draw for more fancied opponents. Takefusa Kubo is the obvious attacking star, but there is quality all over the park with Wataru Endo, Daichi Kamada, Ritsu Doan, Kaoru Mitoma and Ayase Ueda giving Japan a strong spine. Moriyasu’s side can play quickly through midfield, press high and punish mistakes, which makes the opening game against the Netherlands one of the most intriguing contests of the group stage. Japan look strong enough to qualify and may even have enough to top Group F if they take points from the Dutch first up.
- Confederation: AFC
- Best World Cup: Round of 16 (2002, 2010, 2018, 2022)
- World Cup qualifications: Eight (1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026)
- Overall World Cup record: P25 W7 D6 L12 F25 A33
- How they qualified: Japan qualified through AFC qualifying.
- Predicted lineup: Suzuki; Sugawara, Tomiyasu, Itakura, Ito; Endo, Tanaka, Kamada; Kubo, Ueda, Maeda.
- Squad: Goalkeepers: Zion Suzuki, Keisuke Osako, Tomoki Hayakawa.
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Shogo Taniguchi, Ko Itakura, Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Hiroki Ito, Ayumu Seko, Yukinari Sugawara.
Midfielders: Junnosuke Suzuki, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Daichi Kamada, Ritsu Doan, Ao Tanaka, Keito Nakamura, Kaishu Sano, Takefusa Kubo, Yuito Suzuki.
Forwards: Koki Ogawa, Daizen Maeda, Ayase Ueda, Kento Shiogai, Keisuke Goto.
🇸🇪 Sweden
- Manager: Graham Potter
- Captain: Victor Lindelof
- Group F winner odds: 5.00
- Qualify Group F odds: 1.40
Sweden may be third in the Group F winner market, but they have enough attacking quality to make a serious run at top spot. Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres give Potter one of the most dangerous strike pairings at the World Cup, while Anthony Elanga adds direct running and pace out wide. The midfield is younger and more technical than previous Swedish sides, with Lucas Bergvall, Yasin Ayari and Mattias Svanberg capable of giving Sweden more control than their reputation suggests. The big question is whether the defence can handle the movement and speed of Japan and the Netherlands. If Sweden can stay compact and release their forwards quickly, they are a serious threat to qualify and could be one of the strongest third-placed teams even if they miss the top two.
- Confederation: UEFA
- Best World Cup: Runners-up (1958)
- World Cup qualifications: 13
- Overall World Cup record: P51 W19 D13 L19 F80 A73
- How they qualified: Sweden qualified through the UEFA playoffs.
- Predicted lineup: Johansson; Holm, Hien, Lindelof, Gudmundsson; Ayari, Bergvall, Svanberg; Elanga, Gyokeres, Isak.
- Squad: Goalkeepers: Viktor Johansson, Kristoffer Nordfeldt, Jacob Widell Zetterstrom.
Defenders: Hjalmar Ekdal, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Isak Hien, Emil Holm, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Victor Lindelof, Erik Smith, Carl Starfelt, Elliot Stroud, Daniel Svensson.
Midfielders: Taha Ali, Yasin Ayari, Lucas Bergvall, Jesper Karlstrom, Ken Sema, Mattias Svanberg, Besfort Zeneli.
Forwards: Alexander Bernhardsson, Anthony Elanga, Viktor Gyokeres, Alexander Isak, Gustaf Nilsson, Benjamin Nygren.
🇹🇳 Tunisia
- Manager: Sabri Lamouchi
- Captain: Ellyes Skhiri
- Group F winner odds: 10.00
- Qualify Group F odds: 2.10
Tunisia are the outsiders in Group F, but they are not a soft touch. Lamouchi has enough defensive experience and midfield power to make the Eagles of Carthage competitive, with Ellyes Skhiri, Hannibal Mejbri and Rani Khedira giving Tunisia bite and technique in the middle of the park. The addition of Khedira is particularly interesting, with the Union Berlin midfielder switching international allegiance late in his career and potentially adding calmness to a team that will spend long periods without the ball. Tunisia’s issue is still attacking output. They may defend well enough to stay in games, but they will need Elias Achouri, Ismael Gharbi or Firas Chaouat to turn limited chances into goals. Their opening match against Sweden already looks like a must-not-lose contest.
- Confederation: CAF
- Best World Cup: Group stage (1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, 2022)
- World Cup qualifications: Seven (1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, 2022, 2026)
- Overall World Cup record: P18 W3 D5 L10 F14 A26
- How they qualified: Tunisia topped their CAF qualifying group.
- Predicted lineup: Dahmen; Valery, Talbi, Bronn, Abdi; Skhiri, Khedira, Mejbri; Achouri, Gharbi, Chaouat.
- Squad: Goalkeepers: Aymen Dahmen, Sabri Ben Hessen, Abdelmouhib Chamakh.
Defenders: Montassar Talbi, Dylan Bronn, Omar Rekik, Yan Valery, Ali Abdi, Moutaz Neffati, Raed Chikhaoui, Adam Arous, Mohamed Amine Ben Hamida.
Midfielders: Ellyes Skhiri, Hannibal Mejbri, Anis Ben Slimane, Hadj Mahmoud, Rani Khedira, Mortadha Ben Ouanes.
Forwards: Elias Achouri, Ismael Gharbi, Elias Saad, Sebastian Tounekti, Firas Chaouat, Khalil Ayari, Hazem Mastouri, Rayan Elloumi.
Group F teams, match-ups and betting preview
Teams: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
World Cup Group F Schedule
| Game | Date | Time (ET) | Arena |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands vs Japan | June 14, 2026 | 4pm | AT&T Stadium |
| Sweden vs Tunisia | June 14, 2026 | 10pm | Estadio BBVA |
| Netherlands vs Sweden | June 20, 2026 | 1pm | NRG Stadium |
| Tunisia vs Japan | June 20, 2026 | 12am | Estadio BBVA |
| Tunisia vs Netherlands | June 25, 2026 | 7pm | AT&T Stadium |
| Japan vs Sweden | June 25, 2026 | 7pm | Arrowhead Stadium |
🇳🇱 Netherlands v 🇯🇵 Japan
(Netherlands have beaten Japan twice, drawn once in three matches, with last coming in 2013)
This could be one of the best tactical match-ups of the group stage. The Netherlands have the superior individual talent and defensive experience, but Japan’s pressing structure and technical midfield could make life extremely uncomfortable for the Dutch. Japan have already shown they can trouble elite European nations and their speed in transition makes them a live underdog. The Netherlands and Japan have met three times before, including a 1-0 Dutch win at the 2010 World Cup and a 2-2 friendly draw in 2013.
🇸🇪 Sweden v 🇹🇳 Tunisia
(A must-win opener for Sweden’s qualification hopes)
Sweden will see this as the game they need to win if they are to reach the knockout stage. Isak and Gyokeres give the Swedes far more attacking firepower, but Tunisia’s compact shape and midfield discipline should make this more difficult than the odds suggest. If Tunisia can frustrate Sweden early and turn the match into a physical battle, this could become a dangerous night for Potter’s side. Sweden and Tunisia have met four times before, all in friendlies, with Tunisia winning the most recent clash in 2003.
🇳🇱 Netherlands v 🇸🇪 Sweden
(Dutch control against Sweden’s elite strike force)
The Netherlands should control possession, but this is exactly the type of match where Sweden can be dangerous. Isak and Gyokeres are lethal when given space to run into, while Elanga’s pace could stretch the Dutch back line if Koeman’s side pushes too high. The midfield battle will be crucial, with De Jong and Reijnders trying to dictate tempo while Sweden look to break forward quickly. These nations have met 20 times before, including a 0-0 draw at the 1974 World Cup and a 2-0 win to the Netherlands at the 2017 World Cup.
🇹🇳 Tunisia v 🇯🇵 Japan
(Japan’s pressing game against Tunisia’s defensive block)
Japan will expect to dominate possession and territory, but Tunisia are capable of making this a scrappy and frustrating match. The Samurai Blue’s biggest edge should come through midfield, where Endo, Kamada and Kubo can move the ball quickly enough to pull Tunisia out of shape. Tunisia will need to be clinical from set pieces and counters to have any chance of taking something. Japan and Tunisia have met six times before, including Japan’s 2-0 win at the 2002 World Cup.
🇹🇳 Tunisia v 🇳🇱 Netherlands
(The Dutch may need a professional final-round performance)
The Netherlands should have too much quality, but this could still be tense if Group F remains tight heading into the final round. Tunisia will likely sit deep and force the Dutch to break them down patiently, which has not always been a strength of Koeman’s side. If the Dutch score early, they should control the match. If they do not, Tunisia have enough discipline to make things awkward. The two nations have met three times before, with their most recent meeting ending in a 1-1 friendly draw in 2009.
🇯🇵 Japan v 🇸🇪 Sweden
(Potentially the decisive match in the race for second place)
This could become the defining match of Group F. Japan’s technical quality and pressing will test Sweden’s build-up play, while Sweden’s forwards will be a constant threat if the game opens up. Japan may have more control in midfield, but Sweden have the more explosive finishers. A draw could be enough for both teams depending on earlier results, but neither side will want to leave qualification to chance. Japan and Sweden have met seven times before, with their most recent meeting ending in a 1-1 friendly draw in 2002.
World Cup Group F prediction & best bets
The Netherlands deserve to be favourites in Group F, but they are not the type of short-priced favourite we would want to blindly trust. Koeman has the best squad in the section and the most tournament experience, yet Japan and Sweden both have clear paths to causing problems.
Japan are our pick to finish second because they look more reliable across three matches. The Samurai Blue have better midfield balance than Sweden and a pressing system that should translate well to tournament football. Sweden may have the more dangerous forwards, but their defensive structure looks slightly less secure against elite movement.
The most logical Group F order is Netherlands first, Japan second, Sweden third and Tunisia fourth. Sweden could still qualify as one of the best third-placed teams, but the Dutch and Japan look the safest top-two pairing.
Netherlands to win Group F at 1.73
Group F Exacta, Netherlands first and Japan second with football betting sites.
