Preview: Netherlands vs Morocco - prediction, team news, lineups

Gillette Stadium will play host to a fascinating last-32 contest at the 2026 World Cup on Monday, as Netherlands and Morocco lock horns in the competition.

Netherlands topped Group F with seven points to breeze into the round of 32, while Morocco finished second in Group C behind Brazil, also claiming seven points from three games.

Match preview

Netherlands opened their Group F campaign with a 2-2 draw against Japan, before recording back-to-back wins over Sweden and Tunisia to finish on seven points, which saw them finish at the top of their section ahead of second-placed Japan and third-placed Sweden.

Ronald Koeman's team have scored 10 times at the 2026 World Cup and have emerged as a side to watch when it comes to a potential challenge for the trophy.

Netherlands have never won the World Cup, finishing as runners-up in 1974, 1978 and 2010, while they were fourth in 1998 and third in 2014.

Last time out in 2022, Holland reached the quarter-finals, and a win over Morocco would see them secure a spot in the round of 16 against South Africa and Canada, opening up a route into the final eight of the tournament.

Netherlands could meet a Germany or a France in the final eight, and their performances thus far have suggested that a potential challenge for the trophy is possible.

Morocco, meanwhile, picked up seven points from their three games in Group C to finish second, only behind Brazil on goal difference.

The Atlas Lions opened their tournament with a 1-1 draw against Brazil before beating Scotland 1-0 and Haiti 4-2 to ultimately breeze into the round of 32, and the national side were identified pre-tournament as a team capable of going far this summer.

Mohamed Ouahbi's team would be full of confidence heading into the round of 16 if they managed to dispatch Netherlands, and their performance against Brazil earlier in the tournament demonstrated that they can compete at the highest level.

Morocco have never won the World Cup, but they did reach the semi-finals of the 2022 tournament, which represented their best-ever run in the competition.

The Atlas Lions have faced Netherlands on three previous occasions, including a clash in the group stage of the 1994 World Cup, which ended 2-1 to Holland.

Netherlands form (all competitions):

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Netherlands World Cup form:

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Morocco World Cup form:

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Morocco form (all competitions):

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Team News

There had been suggestions that Denzel Dumfries and Brian Brobbey were carrying slight knocks, making them potential doubts for Netherlands, but the pair have been passed fit and will therefore be available for selection against Morocco.

Micky van de Ven is set to return to the starting team at left-back, with Nathan Ake dropping out, and that is likely to be the only change from the team that started against Tunisia.

Brobbey is expected to continue through the middle for Koeman's team, with Memphis Depay, Justin Kluivert and Crysencio Summerville set to be kept in reserve.

As for Morocco, there will be changes from the side that took to the field for the first whistle against Haiti, with Noussair Mazraoui, Issa Diop, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Azzedine Ounahi expected to return to the first XI for the last-32 clash.

Ismael Saibari, who is set to make the move to Bayern Munich this summer, has scored three times in three appearances at the 2026 World Cup and will again lead the line.

Meanwhile, there will be spots in the XI for Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Diaz.

Netherlands possible starting lineup:

Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Dijk, Van Hecke, Van de Ven; Gravenberch, F de Jong, Reijnders; Malen, Brobbey, Gakpo

Morocco possible starting lineup:

Bono; Hakimi, Diop, Riad, Mazraoui; El Aynaoui, Bouaddi; Brahim, Ounahi, El Khannouss; Saibari

We say: Netherlands 1-2 Morocco

This has all of the makings of a very, very interesting match, and we have found it difficult to pick a winner here. Netherlands have been impressive this summer, but we are expecting Morocco to record a 2-1 victory in order to progress to the round of 16.

Our World Cup 2026 betting guide has all of the latest information on the match.

The view from Morocco

Romain Lantheaume, Afrik-Foot

This is the standout clash of the Round of 32. And I believe Morocco has what it takes to win it. For example, by reproducing the kind of performance they showed in the opening half-hour against Brazil. In terms of pressing, I have the feeling the Atlas Lions can really trouble the Dutch.

But they'll need to be more clinical and maintain that level over the full 90 minutes. Otherwise, the Netherlands have the attacking weapons to do what Scotland, for instance, failed to do: punish Morocco during their weaker spells.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.