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🇳🇱 Netherlands vs Japan 🇯🇵 — Kickoff Time, How to Watch & Prediction

Group F · Sunday June 14, 2026 · Arlington, Texas

Quick answer: Netherlands vs Japan kicks off Sunday June 14 at 4 PM ET / 1 PM PT in Arlington, Texas. US coverage is on the FOX family of networks in English and Telemundo/Universo in Spanish. It's the tightest big-team matchup of the opening weekend — our model makes it Netherlands 45%, Japan 28%, draw 27%.

Kickoff time by timezone

TimezoneKickoff
Eastern (ET)4:00 PM Sun, June 14
Central (CT)3:00 PM Sun, June 14
Mountain (MT)2:00 PM Sun, June 14
Pacific (PT)1:00 PM Sun, June 14
UK (BST)9:00 PM Sun, June 14
Japan (JST)5:00 AM Mon, June 15

Want it in your exact timezone with a live countdown? Our schedule page auto-converts every match.

How to watch

Why this is the matchup of the weekend

Group F is the closest thing this draw produced to a group of death lite: two top-ten-caliber sides meeting on matchday one, with Sweden and Tunisia waiting. The winner here takes pole position for the group and a softer round-of-32 path; the loser is straight into must-win territory. Japan have spent a decade exporting their core to Europe's top leagues and beat Germany and Spain at the last World Cup — nobody serious calls this an upset scenario anymore.

Form & key battle

The Netherlands bring physical dominance, elite set-piece threat and a back line comfortable playing through any press. Japan bring the tournament's best-organized pressing game and lightning wide transitions. The match hinges on the flanks: if Japan's wingbacks pin the Dutch full-backs deep, the counters will come all afternoon. If the Netherlands establish their midfield triangle early and slow the tempo, their size eventually tells — especially on corners. Texas afternoon heat is a real variable for two pressing teams; expect the intensity to drop sharply after the hour.

Prediction

GoalPicks model: Netherlands 45% · Japan 28% · Draw 27%. Our call: Netherlands 2–1 Japan — Japan strike first on the counter, the Dutch level from a set piece and win it late as legs tire in the heat. This is the streak-game banana skin of the weekend.

🔥 Call it yourself

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FAQ

What time is Netherlands vs Japan?

Sunday June 14 at 4 PM ET / 1 PM PT — 9 PM in the UK, 5 AM Monday in Japan.

What channel is it on?

FOX family of networks (English), Telemundo/Universo (Spanish, streams on Peacock).

Who else is in Group F?

Sweden and Tunisia, who meet the same night — see our group-by-group predictions.

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