Tonight, the Netherlands will begin their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with an away match against Finland at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki.
The match is part of Group 7, which also includes Poland, Lithuania, and Malta.
Despite being ranked 6th in the FIFA World Ranking, the Netherlands are struggling with inconsistent performances and results.
The team had two wins in their last nine international matches, the latest being a dramatic 5-5 draw with Spain in the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals, which ended with a penalty shootout loss.
The Netherlands aim to make up for lost ground in the qualifiers, as they have yet to play a match, while Poland leads the group with 6 points.
The Dutch hope for a crucial win to strengthen their chances of securing direct qualification.
On the other hand, Finland will step into the match with strong motivation, as they are aiming for their first-ever World Cup appearance.
The Finnish team had a solid start to the qualifiers under their new coach, Jakob Fes, who took over the role in January.
Finland collected four points from their first two matches, securing a win over Malta and a draw against Lithuania.
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