Breaking down Group F for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including schedule, rosters, best bets and more!
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With all due respect to Tunisia, this World Cup 2026 group would appear to be a three-horse race. Japan won a group with the likes of Spain and Germany just last tournament, while Netherlands have had a podium finish in two of the last three tournaments, with their 2022 Round of 16 loss coming in penalties to the eventual champions in Argentina.
While some may be quick to dismiss Sweden, as they have qualified just once since the 2006 FIFA World Cup, they have not failed to qualify out of the group stage in their last four appearances, dating back to 1990, and have one of the best groups of forwards in the entire tournament.
World Cup Groups Previews
FIFA World Cup Schedule For Group F
Sunday, June 14th
4:00 EST- Netherlands vs Japan @ AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
10:00 EST- Sweden vs Tunisia @ Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe, Mexico
Saturday, June 20th
1:00 EST- Netherlands vs Sweden @ NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
12:00AM EST- Tunisia vs Japan @ Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe, Mexico
Thursday, June 25th
7:00 EST- Japan vs Sweden @ AT&T Stadiu, Arlington, Texas
7:00 EST- Tunisia vs Netherlands @ GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
FIFA Rankings
FIFA World Rankings are from FIFA.com
| Team | Rank | Total Points |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 7 | 1757.87 |
| Japan | 18 | 1660.43 |
| Sweden | 38 | 1514.77 |
| Tunisia | 44 | 1483.05 |
FIFA World Cup Rosters
- Netherlands World Cup Roster
- Japan World Cup Roster
- Sweden World Cup Roster
- Tunisia World Cup Roster
Prediction
To put it simply, it makes absolutely no sense that Sweden is ranked 38th in the FIFA Men’s Rankings. The Swedes have one of the best attacking fronts in the world and should realistically be somewhere in the mid-20s. Suddenly, that shows just how underrated this grouping is, with even Tunisia being better than they’re often given credit for. The most intriguing part about this group is how each team has its own strengths and weaknesses that a different team in this group can exploit.
For example, Netherlands has one of the best defenses in the world. However, they struggle in their attack at times when forward Cody Gakpo isn’t able to put the team on his back. Conversely, Sweden has one of the best attacking fronts in the world, but struggles to defend at times with a weaker back line. Japan has a solid all-around team that is hard to break down; however, they lack the individual quality and ability to take them over the top when they’re in tight games, which also goes for Tunisia.
With just three games deciding who moves forward and who goes home, one slip-up could create a massive ripple effect in Group F. If Netherlands falters in their first game against Japan, they could have a tough time playing catch-up without a go-to scorer. In what may be seen as a shock to some people, I’m going to predict Japan wins the group as they did in 2022 over Germany and Spain. I’ll also pick Sweden to finish second with their attack and Netherlands qualifying for the knockout stages, but finishing third due to their questionable attack.
World Cup Best Bets 2026
The World Cup betting odds come from BetUS Sportsbook. Bet from anywhere in the country and claim the largest signup promo in the industry today! When you sign up through our BetUS Sportsbook promo code link here and deposit at least $50, you can claim up to a $3000 bonus!
Japan to win Group F: +250
Sweden to qualify for knockout rounds: -250
Japan/Sweden to finish 1/2: +850
Sweden to score in each group game: +150
Tunisia to finish last: -125
Players to Watch
Netherlands — Virgil van Dijk (Defender), Denzel Dumfries (Defender), Ryan Gravenberch (Midfielder), Cody Gakpo (Forward)
Japan — Yuto Nagatomo (Defender), Wataru Endo (Midfielder)
Sweden — Victor Lindelöf (Defender), Lucas Bergvall (Midfielder), Alexander Isak (Forward), Viktor Gyökeres (Forward), Anthony Elanga (Forward)
Tunisia — Ellyes Skhiri (Midfielder), Anis Ben Slimane (Midfielder)
