Finland vs Netherlands

The Netherlands’ 2026 World Cup qualifying cycle kicks off at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium against Finland. 

History beckons for Finland as they aim to qualify for their first-ever World Cup finals after avoiding defeat in their opening two Group G outings. After a narrow 1-0 win at minnows Malta in a curtain-raising fixture, they squandered a two-goal cushion to share the spoils with Lithuania in a high-scoring 2-2 draw. It was a missed opportunity for Jacob Friis’ side to make a perfect start, and redemption against FIFA’s sixth-ranked Netherlands may prove a tall order. Worryingly, the Finnes have only won one of their last five World Cup qualifiers on home soil (D2, L2). Additionally, they head into proceedings on a three-match losing run at home – all of which saw them concede multiple goals, including a 2-0 loss to Greece in November. 

Meanwhile, the Netherlands’ quest to reach the World Cup finals for the second tournament on the trot took a slight delay due to their commitments in the UEFA Nations League. Ronald Koeman’s side lost their quarter-final tie against Spain on penalties after two enthralling draws in Amsterdam (2-2) and Valencia (3-3). That second-leg loss marked Oranje’s sixth winless outing in their last seven (D4, L2), but they should take this trip in a buoyant mood nonetheless. Indeed, they’ve won their last four H2Hs, while their most recent defeat in this fixture dates back to June 1950 (W9, D2). On top of that, they’ve bagged 2+ goals in six of their previous seven H2Hs.