It is a giant with clay feet who begins his journey to the 2026 World Cup. In the midst of a crisis of confidence and with results at half mast, the Netherlands of Ronald Koeman move to Helsinki this Saturday evening for their very first qualification match. Faced with them, a reborn Finland team, which hopes to take advantage of the Dutch torments to create a resounding feat and confirm its excellent start to the campaign.
Oranje: dissipate doubts or sink?
Far from their prestigious 6th place in the FIFA ranking, the Netherlands are going through a very delicate pass. With only two small victories in their last nine games in all competitions, Ronald Koeman's men are struggling to reassure. Their elimination in the League of Nations against Spain in March, after a penalty shootout, left traces. Forced to play the catching up in this qualification group (they are already six points behind the Polish leader), the Dutch have no right to error. The pressure is already maximum on a team that knows that history is unfavorable to it when it does not win a majority of its qualification matches.
Finland, a new start of hope
Everything opposes the two selections before this duel. Finland, Moribonde in 2024, has found colors since the arrival of the new Jacob Friis coach in January. After a catastrophic year (eight games without victory), the “Hiboux Grands-Ducs” are undefeated in 2025 and point to second place in the group with 4 points. Carried by the ambition to qualify for their very first World Cup, after having failed nothing for the 2022 edition, they approach this match without complex. Only shade on the board: a precarious form at home (three losses of row).
A shock of dynamics in Helsinki
This meeting features two radically opposite trajectories. On the one hand, the talent, the status and history of the Netherlands, which have also won their last four confrontations against the Finns. On the other, the confidence and the renewal of a Finnish selection which has nothing to lose. Will Ronald Koeman and his Oranje manage to assume their status and finally launch their campaign, or can Finland create the surprise and push this football giant a little more in the crisis? The answer will be given on the lawn of the Helsinki Olympic stadium.
| ℹ️ Practical info-Finland vs Netherlands | |
|---|---|
| 📍 Place | Helsinki Olympic Stadium (Finland) |
| 📆 Date | Saturday June 7, 2025 |
| 🕖 Time | 7:45 p.m. (French time) |
| ⚽ Competition | 2026 World Cup qualifiers – Europe area (G group) |
The probable compos of the Finland match-Netherlands
Finland: Hradecky; Alho, Tenho, Ivanov, Uronen; Kamara, Kairinen, Lod; Antman, Pohjanpalo, Kallman
The Netherlands : Flekken; Dumfries, Van Hecke, Van Dijk, AKE; De Jong, Reijnders; Kluivert, Simons, Gakpo; Weghorst
| 📺 TV & streaming Diffusion-Finland vs Netherlands | ||
|---|---|---|
| 🌍 Country / Region | 📡 TV channel | 💻 Streaming |
| 🇫🇷 France | The TV team | The Livefoot team |
| 🌍 Mena | BeIN SPORTS MENA 1 | BeIN Connect / Tod |
| 🌍 Balkans | Arena Premium 3 | – |
| 🇷🇴 Romania | Diema Sport 2 | – |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | NPO 3 | NPO Start |
| 🇵🇱 Poland | Polsat Sport 1 | Polsat Box Go |
| 🇵🇹 Portugal | Sport TV 1 | Multiscreen TV Sport |
| 🇫🇮 Finland | Yle TV2 | Yle Areena |
| 🇬🇷 Greece | Nova Sports | Eon TV / Nova Go |
