Netherlands v Japan: Take 15/8 Japan to avoid Dutch defeat in Dallas & tackle a 7/1 Bet Builder

Dark Horses Japan can avoid defeat in Dallas

Click here for Netherlands v Japan odds
Sunday 14 June, 21:00 kick-off
Live on ITV
Dallas Stadium, Texas

Group F Betting Guide

The Dutch enter the fray on Sunday with a tough game against Japan in a tough group that also contains Sweden and Tunisia - it's not quite group of death stuff but it's not far off.

The Netherlands are 1/12.00 favourites after Ronald Koeman steered them through qualifying unbeaten, scoring 27 goals and conceding just four, as the three-time runners-up look to finally win their first World Cup.

The Oranje are mustard at this stage of the tournament too - they've not lost their opening game since 1938 (W7 D2) while their current 16-game unbeaten run in group stage games (W12 D4) is the longest active streak.

Japan are more than lively outsiders at 29/103.90 though. They were the first team to book their spot at this World Cup, scoring 54 goals in qualifying, and they've since won six friendlies on the spin including eye-catching victories over Brazil and England.

The Blue Samarai have won their last two World Cup openers and in Qatar they beat Spain and Germany before only losing to Croatia on penalties. The draw could be a popular shout here at 5/23.50.

Japan's last five wins have all come with a clean sheet, but in World Cups seven of their last nine have seen both teams score. The Dutch have a terrific defence but their attacking options look limited - both over/under 2.5 goals is priced at 20/231.87 but unders is the preference.

I really do rate Japan and playing indoors here will help them to be able to maintain their work rate, making them hard to break down, so I'll back them to avoid defeat. And with two solid backlines we shouldn't see too many goals.

Back 7/18.00 Bet Builder for high-tempo contest

Memphis Depay was the main man for the Netherlands in qualifying with the most goals (8) and assists (4) and is 6/42.50 to score in Dallas, but Cody Gakpo has been the main threat in tournament football as he was his country's top score at both the last World Cup and Euros with three goals each time.

Gakpo is 21/103.10 to score anytime.

Japan had three players who scored 10+ goals in qualifying, with Takefusa Kubo (12), Junya Ito (11) and Ayase Ueda (8) forming a potent front three if all are deployed from the start.

Feyenoord forward Ueda was top scorer in the Dutch Eredivisie last season with 25 goals and is 11/43.75 to score against the country he plies his trade in.

Kubo is 7/24.50 and Ito 4/15.00 but Ito may be best backed for a goal or assist at 13/53.60 as he laid on 10 goals during qualifying to lead the team.

Gakpo to have 2+ shots on target at 21/103.10 looks the pick of the player props to me. He steps his game up for tournaments and anyone who watched a lot of Liverpool knows he never gets bored of cutting in off the left and having a shot. He's had 2+ shots on target in five of nine internationals.

You can also throw Gakpo in your Bet Builders at 4/91.44 for 1+ shot on target, along with Tijjani Reijnders while you're at it at 4/51.80 - with the Man City man hitting the target in six of his last seven.

These two teams also don't mind getting stuck in, so there's a couple of plays in Betfair's new tackles market on the Sportsbook worth a look - with Leeds' Ao Tanaka 4/91.44 and Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch 10/111.91 for 2+ tackles each, which they've both managed in two of the last four.

They've had nine and 10 games respectively with 2+ tackles across their last 20, with Tanaka averaging 2.23 tackles per 90 minutes and Gravenberch 1.78. Under a dome this game should have a higher tempo than many others so tackle counts should be higher too.

Notable winners on Betting.Betfair so far at the 2026 World Cup...

Mark Stinchcombe's stunning 38/139.00 Bet Builder in South Korea v Czechia
Paul Higham's 9/25.50 Bet Builder in Mexico's MD1 defeat of South Africa

Now read more World Cup tips here!