# 2026 FIFA World Cup Group F
**Group F** was one of the twelve first-round groups at the 2026 [FIFA World Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fifa-world-cup), the 48-team tournament staged in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. It contained the Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, and Tunisia, who played a single round-robin of six matches across three matchdays in June 2026.[1](https://www.fifaworldcup.ae/groups/group-f/matches/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Teams | Netherlands (F1), Japan (F2), Sweden (F3, from the UKR/SWE/POL/ALB playoff slot), Tunisia (F4)[2](https://hotels.fifa26-accommodation.com/media/yeafgyue/fwc26-match-schedule_06122025_en-1-1.pdf) • [1](https://www.fifaworldcup.ae/groups/group-f/matches/) |
| Fixtures | Six matches on 14, 20, and 25 June 2026[1](https://www.fifaworldcup.ae/groups/group-f/matches/) |
| Venues | Dallas Stadium, Estadio Monterrey, Houston Stadium, and Kansas City Stadium[1](https://www.fifaworldcup.ae/groups/group-f/matches/) |
| Opening results | Netherlands 2-2 Japan (Dallas Stadium); Sweden 5-1 Tunisia (Estadio Monterrey)[3](https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/match-schedule-fixtures-results-teams-stadiums?p=3236&p=family-reach) |
| Matchday 3 | Netherlands 3-1 Tunisia at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City[4](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/world-cup-2026-schedule-fixtures/bd2ffea0a515a899ed06abdd) |
| Round of 32 | Morocco beat the Netherlands on penalties after a 1-1 draw (3-2 in the shootout), France beat Sweden 3-0, and Brazil beat Japan 2-1[4](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/world-cup-2026-schedule-fixtures/bd2ffea0a515a899ed06abdd) |
| Advancement rule | Top two in each group plus the eight best third-place teams reached the new Round of 32[5](https://gpcustomersupportfwc2026.tickets.fifa.com/hc/en-gb/articles/28784798873117-10-What-is-the-format-for-the-FIFA-World-Cup-2026-tournament) |
## Fixtures and venues
The group opened on Sunday, 14 June 2026 with Netherlands against Japan at Dallas Stadium at 16:00 local time, followed the same day by Sweden against Tunisia at Estadio Monterrey in [Monterrey](https://www.edgepedia.org/monterrey), Mexico, at 22:00.[1](https://www.fifaworldcup.ae/groups/group-f/matches/) The opening match ended 2-2, while Sweden beat Tunisia 5-1.[3](https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/match-schedule-fixtures-results-teams-stadiums?p=3236&p=family-reach)
On matchday 2, Saturday, 20 June, the Netherlands met Sweden at Houston Stadium at 13:00, and Tunisia played Japan at Estadio Monterrey.[1](https://www.fifaworldcup.ae/groups/group-f/matches/) The final matchday fell on Thursday, 25 June, with Japan against Sweden at Dallas Stadium and Tunisia against the Netherlands at Kansas City Stadium, both kicking off at 19:00 local time.[1](https://www.fifaworldcup.ae/groups/group-f/matches/) The Netherlands won the latter fixture 3-1 at [Arrowhead Stadium](https://www.edgepedia.org/arrowhead-stadium) in [Kansas City, Missouri](https://www.edgepedia.org/kansas-city-missouri).[4](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/world-cup-2026-schedule-fixtures/bd2ffea0a515a899ed06abdd)
Both matchday 3 fixtures kicked off simultaneously, a long-standing FIFA rule intended to prevent any team from gaining an advantage by knowing the other result in the group; the practice dates to the controversy surrounding the 1982 match later called the [Disgrace of Gijón](https://www.edgepedia.org/disgrace-of-gijon).[1](https://www.fifaworldcup.ae/groups/group-f/matches/)
## Competition format and qualification
The 2026 tournament was the first with 48 teams, divided into 12 groups of four, with 72 group-stage matches in total, up from 48 in previous editions.[5](https://gpcustomersupportfwc2026.tickets.fifa.com/hc/en-gb/articles/28784798873117-10-What-is-the-format-for-the-FIFA-World-Cup-2026-tournament) The top two teams in each group and the eight best third-placed teams across all groups advanced to a newly introduced Round of 32 beginning in late June 2026.[5](https://gpcustomersupportfwc2026.tickets.fifa.com/hc/en-gb/articles/28784798873117-10-What-is-the-format-for-the-FIFA-World-Cup-2026-tournament) For Group F specifically, the group winners were drawn against the Group C runners-up at Estadio Monterrey (Match 75), and the Group C winners faced the Group F runners-up at Houston Stadium (Match 76).[6](https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/match-schedule-fixtures-results-teams-stadiums?p=family-reach&searchOverlay=1)
## Tie-breakers
The 2026 edition changed the order of group tie-breakers. Head-to-head results between tied teams became the first criterion, replacing overall goal difference, which had been the first criterion in earlier World Cups.[7](https://apnews.com/article/9dc0ca3b2ee1d2b9761498687b532a0c) The sequence that followed was goal difference in the matches between the teams concerned, then goals scored in those matches, and only then overall goal difference as a fourth criterion.[7](https://apnews.com/article/9dc0ca3b2ee1d2b9761498687b532a0c) A summary published during the tournament listed the full order as head-to-head record, goal difference, goals scored, the FIFA "team conduct" disciplinary score, and finally world ranking placement.[8](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/what-is-the-fifa-team-conduct-score-and-how-does-it-impact-world-cup-group-stage)
## Knockout outcomes for Group F teams
All three Group F results reported in the Round of 32 ended in elimination for the group's teams. The Netherlands drew 1-1 with Morocco at Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe, Mexico, and lost the penalty shootout 3-2.[4](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/world-cup-2026-schedule-fixtures/bd2ffea0a515a899ed06abdd) Sweden lost 3-0 to France at [MetLife Stadium](https://www.edgepedia.org/metlife-stadium) in [East Rutherford, New Jersey](https://www.edgepedia.org/east-rutherford-new-jersey), and Japan lost 2-1 to Brazil at [NRG Stadium](https://www.edgepedia.org/nrg-stadium) in Houston.[4](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/world-cup-2026-schedule-fixtures/bd2ffea0a515a899ed06abdd)
## References
1. [Group F Schedule — World Cup 2026 (fan site, unofficial)](https://www.fifaworldcup.ae/groups/group-f/matches/)
2. [FWC26 Match Schedule, 6 December 2025 (FIFA accommodation PDF)](https://hotels.fifa26-accommodation.com/media/yeafgyue/fwc26-match-schedule_06122025_en-1-1.pdf)
3. [World Cup 2026: Match schedule, fixtures, results & stadiums, FIFA](https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/match-schedule-fixtures-results-teams-stadiums?p=3236&p=family-reach)
4. [FIFA World Cup schedule 2026: Complete match dates, times, team fixtures, Sporting News](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/world-cup-2026-schedule-fixtures/bd2ffea0a515a899ed06abdd)
5. [What is the format for the FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament? FIFA ticketing support](https://gpcustomersupportfwc2026.tickets.fifa.com/hc/en-gb/articles/28784798873117-10-What-is-the-format-for-the-FIFA-World-Cup-2026-tournament)
6. [World Cup 2026: Match schedule, fixtures & stadiums, FIFA](https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/match-schedule-fixtures-results-teams-stadiums?p=family-reach&searchOverlay=1)
7. [What's offside? And all your other World Cup questions, answered, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/9dc0ca3b2ee1d2b9761498687b532a0c)
8. [What is the FIFA Team Conduct Score and how does it impact World Cup group stage? FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/what-is-the-fifa-team-conduct-score-and-how-does-it-impact-world-cup-group-stage)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football competitions and records › Seasons and editions › Season indexes, outcomes, and transfer lists*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license