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Group play is over and it’s knockout time at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The round of 32 is in progress, with several teams already moving on the round of 16, including tournament co-hosts Canada and Mexico. The U.S. will be looking to do the same when it faces Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday.

Here’s everything you need to know about World Cup knockout stage matches being played Wednesday, Thursday and Friday across the U.S., Mexico and Canada (all times Pacific).

Wednesday’s round of 32 matches

England vs. DR Congo

England’s Jude Bellingham celebrates with teammates after scoring against Panama on June 27.

(Steve Luciano / Associated Press)

Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Time: 9 a.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo

The buzz: England was unbeaten in group play, but it looked sluggish, failing to score in a goalless draw with Ghana then needing two second-half scores to beat Panama. Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have combined for five of England’s six goals while Jordan Pickford hasn’t given up a goal since the opening half of the first game. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, playing in the World Cup for the first time since 1974, made it out of the group stage for the first time ever by beating Uzbekistan with three second-half goals.

Belgium vs. Senegal

Belgium’s Leandro Trossard celebrates after scoring against New Zealand on June 26.

(Abbie Parr / Ap Photo/abbie Parr)

Where: Lumen Field, Seattle
Time: 1 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo

The buzz: Unbeaten Belgium didn’t score a goal of its own until routing New Zealand 5-1 in its group-play finale. That allowed it to finish atop of its group and advance to the knockout stages, something it failed to do four years ago. Senegal started with consecutive losses, but routed Iraq 5-0, giving it the best goal differential of all third-place teams and allowing it to advance.

U.S. vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina

U.S. forward Christian Pulisic shoots during a loss to Turkey at the World Cup on June 25.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
Time: 5 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo

The buzz: The U.S. won its group, winning twice in the first round for the first time since 1930. But it has won just once beyond the group stage in its history and hasn’t beaten a European team in 12 tries dating to November 2022. Bosnia-Herzegovina beat Qatar in its group-stage finale to advance to the knockout rounds for the first time. Ermin Mahmic has two of the team’s five goals.

Thursday’s round of 32 matches

Spain vs. Austria

Austria’s Marko Arnautovic celebrates after a goal against Algeria on June 27 at the World Cup.

(Reed Hoffmann / Associated Press)

Where: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood
Time: Noon
TV: Fox, Telemundo

The buzz: Spain did not allow a goal in the group stage with keeper Unai Simón making just four saves in the three shutouts. But No. 3 Spain has struggled offensively; leave out its 4-0 rout of Saudi Arabia and it scored just once. Austria needed a goal deep in stoppage time to draw Algeria and finish second in its group, advancing to the second round for the first time since 1982. Marko Arnautovic has two of the team’s six goals.

Portugal vs. Croatia

Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo attempts an overhead kick against Colombia at the World Cup on June 27.

(Robert Cianflone / Getty Images)

Where: BMO Field, Toronto
Time: 4 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo

The buzz: Call this the Geritol Cup. Unbeaten Portugal finished second in its group with Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, becoming the second-oldest male to score in a World Cup and the only man to score in six consecutive tournaments while Croatia saw Luka Modric become the oldest player in history to record a World Cup assist. Croatia has reached the semifinals of the last two tournaments, but its golden generation is aging. Portugal, a quarterfinalist in 2022, is hoping to give Ronaldo the one title he’s missing.

Switzerland vs. Algeria

Switzerland’s Johan Manzambi heads the ball against Canada at the World Cup on June 24.

(Abbie Parr / Associated Press)

Where: BC Place, Vancouver
Time: 8 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo

The buzz: Unbeaten Switzerland held off Canada in its last game to win its group for the first time since 2006. The Swiss have not won a knockout-round game since 1954. Midfielder Johan Manzambi, the team’s youngest player at 20, has three of Switzerland’s seven goals. Algeria drew Austria in its group-play final to advance as a third-place team. Riyad Mahrez, 35, had a brace in that game and leads Algeria with two goals.

Friday’s round of 32 matches

Australia vs. Egypt

Egypt’s Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring against New Zealand at the World Cup on June 21.

(Alex Grimm / Getty Images)

Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Time: 11 a.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo

The buzz: Australia finished second to the U.S. in its group but stumbled into the round of 32, going 195 minutes without a goal. It’s the first time since 1974 Australia has gone scoreless in consecutive World Cup games. The Socceroos are playing in the knockout stage for the third time in 20 years but have yet to win an elimination game. Unbeaten Egypt also finished second in its group, on a goal-differential tiebreaker. Its five goals have come from five different players. The Pharaohs, Africa’s oldest national team, will be playing in the second round of the World Cup for the first time.

Argentina vs. Cape Verde

Argentina’s Lionel Messi, left, and Jordan’s Noussair Mazraoui battle for the ball at the World Cup on June 27.

(Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press)

Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.
Time: 3 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo

The buzz: The last World Cup loss for Argentina came in its 2022 opener, making its nine-game unbeaten run the longest under one coach since 1986, the year it won its second championship. Speaking of streaks, when Lionel Messi came off the bench to score in the group finale, it gave him goals in a record seven consecutive World Cup games. He is tied with France’s Kylian Mbappé in the Golden Boot race, having scored six of Argentina’s eight goals. Unbeaten Cape Verde is playing in the World Cup for the first time, advancing to the knockout stages behind three straight draws, two of them clean sheets by Vozinha, the team’s 40-year-old keeper. It is the first debutant to go unbeaten in the group stage since Senegal in 2002. The smallest country ever to advance out of World Cup group play, Cape Verde had just seven shots on target in the group stage, according to FIFA.

Colombia vs. Ghana

Colombia’s Gustavo Puerta reacts during a match against Portugal at the World Cup on June 27.

(Rebecca Blackwell / Associated Press)

Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.
Time: 6:30 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo

The buzz: Unbeaten Colombia won its group but scored just once in its final two games. It’s 59 shots are tied for third in the tournament but just four of those found the back of the net. Goalkeeper Camilo Vargas, on the other hand, has been called on to make just five saves. Ghana is back in the knockout stages for the first time since 2010, advancing as a third-place team.

Morocco’s Ismael Saibari embraced his mother after scoring the winning penalty against Netherlands to reach the World Cup last 16. The players danced and cheered in the dressing room after the dramatic win in Monterrey, Mexico.

Group play is over and it’s knockout time at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The round of 32 is set, with tournament co-host Canada kicking things off Sunday when it faces South Africa at SoFi Stadium.

Here’s everything you need to know about World Cup knockout stage matches being played Sunday, Monday and Tuesday across the U.S., Mexico and Canada (all times Pacific).

Sunday’s round of 32 match

Canada vs. South Africa

Canada’s Alphonso Davies warms up before a World Cup match against Qatar on June 18.

(Abbie Parr / Associated Press)

Where: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood
Time: Noon
TV: Fox, Telemundo

The buzz: Both teams are making their first appearances in a World Cup knockout round, Canada (1-1-1) after losing its group-play final to Switzerland and South Africa (1-1-1) after upsetting South Korea. Canada, the first World Cup host to play a game outside its borders, could get a boost if Alphonso Davies, its best player, can play after missing the team’s first three games. South Africa scored just one goal of its own in the group stage; Canada got six in one game alone.

Monday’s round of 32 matches

Brazil vs. Japan

Brazil’s Matheus Cunha celebrates after scoring against Haiti at the World Cup on June 19.

(Petr David Josek / Associated Press)

Where: NRG Stadium, Houston
Time: 10 a.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo

The buzz: Brazil won Group C, posting consecutive 3-0 wins over Haiti and Scotland to close out the first round and run goalkeeper Alisson Becker’s shutout streak to 249 minutes. Vinícius Júnior, with four goals, and Matheus Cunha, with three, have accounted for all of Brazil’s scoring. Brazil hasn’t been eliminated in the first knockout stage of a World Cup since 1990. Japan has received goals from five players in an unbeaten run through Group F, where it finished second to the Netherlands. Japan has not won a World Cup knockout-round game in four tries.

Germany vs. Paraguay

Germany’s Kai Havertz reacts during a match against Curaçao at the World Cup on June 14.

(Alexander Hassenstein / Getty Images)

Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
Time: 1:30 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo

The buzz: Germany scored 10 goals in the group stage, but the four-time tournament champions lost to Ecuador and had to rely on a tiebreaker to win the group over the Ivory Coast. Deniz Undav, with three goals, and Kai Havertz, with two, are the only Germans who have scored more than once. Paraguay gutted out a scoreless draw with Australia in its final game to finish third in Group D and squeeze into the round of 32. It has just two goals in the tournament, but it is coming off back-to-back shutouts.

Netherlands vs. Morocco

Brian Brobbey celebrates after scoring for the Netherlands in a win over Sweden at the World Cup on June 20.

(Eric Gay / Associated Press)

Where: BBVA Stadium, Guadalupe, Mexico
Time: 6 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo

The buzz: Morocco, a semifinalist four years ago, did not lose in the group stage but finished second to Brazil on goal differential, setting up this challenging matchup with the Netherlands. Morocco is ranked sixth in the world by FIFA, one spot ahead of the Dutch, who matched Germany with a tournament-high 10 goals in the first round. The Netherlands haven’t lost a first-round knockout game since 2006. Brian Brobbey has three goals for the Dutch while Cody Gakpo and Crysencio Summerville have two apiece. Ismael Saibari has scored in each of Morocco’s three games.

Tuesday’s round of 32 matches

Ivory Coast vs. Norway

Norway’s Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring against Senegal at the World Cup on June 22.

(Steve Luciano / Associated Press)

Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Time: 10 a.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo

The buzz: Norway rested many of its regulars in its group-play finale, a 4-1 loss to France, to settle for second in Group I. Erling Haaland, playing in his first World Cup, had braces in Norway’s first two games. Ivory Coast finished second to Germany on a tiebreaker but advanced to the knockout stages for the first time. Villarreal’s Nicolas Pépé has two of the team’s four goals.

France vs. Sweden

France’s Kylian Mbappé points during a win over Norway at the World Cup on June 26.

(Justin Setterfield / Getty Images)

Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
Time: 2 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo

The buzz: Unbeaten France, which has played in the last two World Cup finals, has designs on returning after dominating its group, winning two of its three games by three goals. Kylian Mbappé had braces in the first two games and is tied with Ousmane Dembélé for the team scoring lead for four goals. Sweden finished third in Group F, winning its first game by four goals and losing its second by the same margin. Sweden’s seven goals allowed matches Norway and Algeria for most by a round-of-32 qualifier.

Mexico vs. Ecuador

Mexico’s Luis Romo gestures during a win over Czechia at the World Cup on June 24.

(Lars Baron / Getty Images)

Where: Azteca Stadium, Mexico City
Time: 6 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo

The buzz: Mexico hasn’t won a knockout-stage match since 1986, the last time the tournament was played in Mexico. El Tri didn’t allow a goal in winning its group easily. Colombian-born Julián Quiñones leads the team with two goals. Ecuador beat Germany 2-1 in its final group-play match to squeeze into the knockout stages for just the second time, advancing as a third-place team. It was shut out in its first two matches.

Cody Gakpo and Brian Brobbey both scored twice as the rampant Netherlands thrashed Sweden 5-1 in a World Cup warning to the favourites.

The big win on Saturday in front of nearly 69,000 at Houston Stadium put the delighted Dutch on the cusp of the knockout rounds and gave them lift-off after being held by Japan.

Ronald Koeman’s side top Group F with four points from two games, ahead of Sweden on three, Japan (one) and Tunisia (zero).

Despite the sobering loss, the Swedes had plenty of chances but were denied by good goalkeeping and wasteful finishing.

Sunderland striker Brobbey got his first start of the tournament and repaid Koeman with predatory goals after five and 17 minutes.

Before that, the 24-year-old had scored only once for his country since making his debut three years ago.

In a game full of top Premier League talent, Liverpool’s Gakpo – who set Brobbey up for the opener – scored twice early in the second half.

Substitute Anthony Elanga from Newcastle United pulled one back for Sweden just before the hour with a classy finish.

West Ham’s Crysencio Summerville had the last word for the five-star Dutch.

Two crew members from the historic Artemis II lunar mission were among the VIP guests, a nod to Houston’s place as the home of space flight.

There was no problem here as the Dutch, twice pegged back in a lively 2-2 draw with Japan to start their title bid, made the brighter start in front of their orange-clad fans and King Willem-Alexander.

Brobbey, who came in for Summerville despite the winger scoring against Japan, started and finished the first goal.

It was made in the Premier League, with goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, midfielder Tijjani Reijnders and Gakpo all involved.

Brobbey exchanged passes with Gakpo, before the Anfield attacker crossed in low from the left for his team-mate to stab in from close range.

Sweden, who thrashed Tunisia 5-1 in their first game, could not handle Brobbey’s muscular presence.

Up front, the much-vaunted attack of Liverpool’s Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal were feeding on scraps for Sweden.

Gakpo’s half

Twelve minutes after his opener, Brobbey made it 2-0 when a deflected Denzel Dumfries cross from the right fell perfectly into his path and he toe-poked past Kristoffer Nordfeldt.

Sweden’s English coach, Graham Potter, was in deep discussions with his backroom staff as the game threatened to run away from them.

At the unpopular hydration break, Potter made a beeline for left-sided defender Gabriel Gudmundsson of Leeds United, who was being overrun by the flying Dumfries and Donyell Malen.

Sweden then had their best chance, Gyokeres crossing for an unmarked Yasin Ayari, who completely miscontrolled the ball with his chest.

Gyokeres was next to fluff a good chance, failing to make proper contact after being played in by the largely anonymous Isak.

Gyokeres and Ayari both had further sights of goal, only to be denied by the increasingly overworked Verbruggen.

The Netherlands were hanging on by the end of the half.

Koeman sent on Summerville for Malen at the break and two minutes later it was mission impossible for Sweden, Gakpo prodding in from close range after yet another dangerous low cross from Dumfries.

All three goals were strikingly similar.

Gakpo scored a lovely fourth on 54 minutes, turning inside his defender before firing low into the bottom corner.

Elanga pulled one back five minutes later when he raced clear of the Dutch defence and rattled the ball past Verbruggen.

Summerville made it five in the dying minutes with his second goal in North America.

Sweden are still in with a good chance of progressing into the last 32.

Japan and Tunisia play later Saturday in Monterrey, Mexico.

Sweden face Japan next, while the Netherlands play Tunisia.

Women’s T20 World Cup, Group 1, Headingley

Bangladesh 77-8 (20 overs): Molineux 2-14, Perry 2-14, Garth 2-18

Australia 78-1 (9.3 overs): Voll 45* (32)

Australia won by nine wickets

Scorecard; Tables

Australia and India continued their dominance at the Women’s T20 World Cup as they thrashed Bangladesh and the Netherlands respectively.

Australia, who hammered 2024 runners-up South Africa in their opening match, overpowered Bangladesh with bat and ball at Headingley, racing to their target of 78 with 10.3 overs to spare.

Fast bowler Kim Garth set the early tone, removing both openers as Bangladesh slumped to 27-5.

They barely recovered from that, eventually limping to 77-8 with Sophie Molineux and Ellyse Perry also taking two wickets each.

Australia, who were missing injured opening batter Phoebe Litchfield and all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner, raced to their target in style as Georgia Voll hammered 45 not out off 32 balls, including one glorious straight six.

The six-time winners face the Netherlands at Southampton on Saturday and Pakistan at Headingley on Tuesday.

Litchfield is expected to miss both matches, but Australia hope she will be fit for their final group game against India on 28 June.

Gardner missed the Bangladesh game with an ankle sprain and no timeline has been set for her return.

Four activists from the Palestine Action group face sentencing in the United Kingdom as “terrorists” on Friday, despite only being convicted by a jury of other criminal charges.

Palestine Action was formally proscribed as a “terrorist” organisation in the UK last July.

Last month, four of six activists on trial were convicted at Woolwich Crown Court in London of criminal damage during a 2024 raid on a factory in Filton, Bristol, operated by Israeli defence firm Elbit. One of the defendants was also found guilty of striking a police officer with a sledgehammer.

The possibility that the judge will rule that the offences have a “terrorist connection” for sentencing purposes has prompted protests.

What is Palestine Action?

The protest group Palestine Action, launched in July 2020, describes itself as a movement “committed to ending global participation in Israel’s genocidal and apartheid regime”.

It seeks to use “disruptive tactics” to target “corporate enablers” and companies involved in the manufacture of weapons for Israel, such as Israel-based Elbit Systems, Italian aerospace company Leonardo, French multinational Thales and Teledyne from the United States. The group has targeted British facilities linked to those companies.

The UK parliament voted in favour of proscribing the group on July 2, 2025, classifying it as a “terrorist” organisation, and bringing it into the same category as armed groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS). The proscription came days after its activists sneaked into an air force base in southern England.

Critics decried the move by MPs, arguing that while members of the group have caused damage to property, they have not committed violent acts that amount to terrorism.

What were they convicted of?

In August 2024, Palestine Action activists raided a factory in Filton near Bristol in southwest England, operated by Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems. They entered the site and caused extensive damage in an attempt to disrupt the production of weapons and drone components they say would be used by Israel in Gaza.

The raid, which prosecutors said caused about one million pounds ($1.36m) of damage, happened 10 months into Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza that began in October 2023.

Last month, jurors at Woolwich Crown Court convicted Charlotte Head, 30, Samuel Corner, 23, Leona Kamio, 30, and Fatema Zainab Rajwani, 21, of criminal damage. The four activists have become known as “the Filton 4”.

Corner was also found guilty of striking a police officer with a sledgehammer and convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Two other Palestine Action activists, Zoe Rogers, 22, and Jordan Devlin, 31, were found not guilty.

The verdict followed an earlier trial, at which all six defendants were acquitted of aggravated burglary, while the jury was unable to reach verdicts for the criminal damage charges.

Each of the defendants gave evidence, admitting that they damaged Israeli military drones and equipment inside Elbit’s research and development facility in Filton – in order to “save lives in Palestine”, according to a statement by their lawyers.

What would a terrorism sentencing mean?

The jury was not told that, if they convicted, the four could be sentenced under terrorism laws. Criminal damage is not usually a terrorism offence, but in England and Wales judges can decide to treat an offence as having a “terrorist connection” at sentencing, even when the charge itself is not a terrorism offence.

If the court decides there was a terrorism connection, the activists would have to serve their entire sentences in prison, unless they have already completed at least two‑thirds of the sentence and a parole board decides they can be released.

Conversely, non-terrorist prisoners usually serve about 40 percent of their sentence in custody and are released early, but under conditions and supervision, sometimes called licence conditions. If they break those conditions, they can be sent back to prison to finish their sentence.

Additionally, if the activists are sentenced in this way, they can be recorded as “terrorists” for the rest of their lives, would be required to register new mobile devices, email addresses and bank accounts with the police for their lifetime, and face being returned to prison if they breach their licence conditions or reoffend.

What has the reaction to all this been?

On Wednesday, a group of more than 50 lawyers and law professors published an open letter denouncing plans to sentence the four Palestine Action members as terrorists.

The letter highlights that damage to property has been a recurring feature of protest campaigns from the Suffragettes who fought for women to have the right to vote, to environmental protest group Extinction Rebellion.

“It has never previously even been suggested that those taking such action should be treated as terrorists. Blurring the distinction between principled direct action and terrorism is the hallmark of authoritarian regimes,” the open letter stated.

The letter has been signed by law professors from universities in the UK, the Netherlands, Norway and Canada as well as by dozens of practising barristers and solicitors.

According to local news reports, a protest is expected at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday against the potential judgement.

Karim Khan rejects suspension as ICC governing body refers him to disciplinary proceedings before member states.

The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, has been suspended from his duties, the tribunal’s governing body said, following a probe into sexual misconduct allegations.

In a statement on Monday, the Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties said it will refer Khan to disciplinary proceedings before all 125 ICC member states, which will vote on his fate in a special session.

“This suspension is not an indication of the final outcome,” it said.

The bureau, which is the executive committee of the court’s oversight body, said it referred Khan after making its own decision on the disciplinary proceedings involving the prosecutor.

It said the decision was based on a report of a United Nations investigation, the advice of an ad hoc panel of judicial experts, and written submissions, but did not give details about what it had decided.

“The decision of the ⁠Bureau and the related documentation will remain confidential,” the statement said.

Khan’s lawyers ⁠said in a statement that he rejected the decision in the strongest terms, and repeated his denial of any wrongdoing.

“The decision is unlawful, procedurally unfair and unsupported by evidence,” the statement said.

Khan, 56, drew international attention when he applied for warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza.

He also sought warrants for Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, for the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel.

Khan was among the first to be sanctioned by Israel’s ally, the United States, which expressed outrage over the arrest warrants.

He has maintained that the misconduct probe is a politically motivated smear campaign.

According to Reuters and the Associated Press news agencies, the UN probe found a “factual basis” for the allegations of sexual misconduct made by a female aide. However, a three-judge panel selected by the executive committee for a legal assessment of the findings found that the investigation was not conclusive enough.

Khan’s lawyers had previously told Reuters that the judges had unanimously concluded that the “factual findings do not establish misconduct or breach of duty”.

Khan has not led the ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor since ⁠last May, when he took a voluntary leave of absence pending the outcome of the inquiry.

He is the first ICC prosecutor to be formally suspended from his role by the court’s oversight body.

Only the Assembly of States Parties has the authority to remove Khan from office, a move that would require a majority in a secret ballot of its 125 member states.

Sixty-three countries would need to support a measure to remove him.

No date was immediately set for the session.

Khan’s suspension will have little practical impact on the functioning of the court, given his existing leave of absence.

He has already been removed from pleading in the ICC’s most high-profile current case, against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

Malak Mahmoud, the heavily pregnant woman filmed being thrown to the ground by a Dutch police officer as her Palestinian husband from Gaza was detained, has spoken to Al Jazeera.

Police in Zeist issued a statement saying they are reviewing the use of force and have opened an investigation, but have not responded to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.

Previous World Cup appearances: 11
Best performance: Runners-up (1974, 1978, 2010)
First appearance: 1934 (Italy)
Top goal scorer: Johnny Rep (7)
Most appearances: Wesley Sneijder, Robin van Persie (17)
Player to watch: Tijjani Reijnders
FIFA world ranking: 7

The Netherlands have never fulfilled their potential at the World Cup – they lost all three finals they reached (1974, 1978, 2010). The 1988 Euro winning cohort did not even come close to replicating their European success on the global stage.

But while previous golden generations repeatedly fell short, this more unheralded side should not be discounted too hastily.

The Dutch were unbeaten across their eight qualifiers, although Poland held them to draws.

With commanding defenders, a midfield of genuine class, and enough attacking options to cause problems for any defence, this Netherlands side have a outside chance of lifting the trophy for the first time.

Reijnders: the midfield heartbeat

Man City’s Tijjani Reijnders has steadily established himself as one of the finest midfielders in Europe over the last few seasons season and arrives at this tournament in fine fettle.

After two outstanding years at AC Milan, where he was named Serie A Best Midfielder of the season, he joined City in 2025 and has adapted well to life under Pep Guardiola, even if he is not always in the starting XI.

While he has grabbed five goals and two assists across 28 Premier League appearances this season, these relatively modest headline numbers do not tell the full story of his influence – especially at the international level.

Reijnders is the Netherlands’s all-action man – he gets forward and links defence and attack, breaks up opponents’ attacks, and is a classy, assured presence on the ball.

Generally, when he plays well, so do the Netherlands.

A solid core

Liverpool legend Virgil van Dijk may not quite be the force he was a few years ago, but he remains a world-class, richly experienced centre back.

He leads a talented defence that also features the likes of Micky van de Ven, Jurrien Timber and Jan Paul van Hecke.

Ahead of them, Ryan Gravenberch, outstanding for Liverpool over the last couple of seasons, shields the defence and is also capable of mounting dangerous forays forward.

His teammate Cody Gakpo offers a significant threat out wide and in front of goal, and has been one of Liverpool’s better performers in a poor season for the 2024/25 Premier League champions.

Injury worries

The Netherlands received a huge blow in April when playmaker Xavi Simons ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament playing for Tottenham. Arguably the most important creative Dutch player, he will be on the sidelines for months and has no chance of making the tournament.

Memphis Depay, now his nation’s all-time leading scorer with 55 goals in 108 caps, usually provides the focal point up front, although his inconsistency has been a source of frustration for clubs and country alike.

He was named in the squad, despite ⁠only two substitute appearances for his Brazilian club Corinthians over the past two months, as he has struggled to recover from a hamstring injury.

“I selected Memphis because of who he still is. I don’t see anyone else in that position who can do it. I ⁠believe he can be an asset, but he does have ⁠to get through the coming period well,” coach Ronald Koeman said.

Arsenal defender Timber is also a concern as a groin injury has kept him on the sidelines since March, and he will certainly need time to get match-sharp.

“We have Ian Maatsen ‌and Lutsharel Geertruida on the standby list for Timber. The situation with him is that he was supposed to train with Arsenal today, to assess for the weekend. ‌They ‌have the Champions League final on Saturday. It remains to be seen whether he will be fit for that match,” Koeman said.

Koeman’s second chance

This is Koeman’s second stint in charge of the national team, having previously managed them from 2018 to 2020.

After the Dutch failed to reach Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup, Koeman secured qualification for Euro 2020, but left before the tournament to manage Barcelona.

After struggling in his recent club roles, Koeman returns to take the reins again. He was a popular figure with the players during his last stint and commands respect as a legend of Dutch football, and he will face a tough task to balance his world-class talent with a squad that is patchy in places.

He will be hoping at least to not have to deal with the fractious egos and strong personalities that undermined very strong Dutch sides in the past. This current squad does not outwardly appear to be as combustible as previous iterations.

How does their group look?

Group F should offer the Netherlands a relatively comfortable route to the last 32.

The toughest game is likely to be the opener against Japan, themselves a talented side considered to be dark horses, who recently defeated England at Wembley in a friendly.

Sweden had a terrible qualifying campaign but qualified through the playoffs via the Nations League, and nevertheless have plenty of dangerous players, such as Victor Gyokeres and Anthony Elanga.

The final group game against Tunisia should be more straightforward, as the North Africans lack real star quality – although they tend to be obdurate opponents that are hard to break down in major tournaments.

Netherlands’ group stage matches

⚽ June 14: Netherlands vs Japan (Dallas, United States), 4pm ET (20:00 GMT)
⚽ June 20: Netherlands vs Sweden (Houston, United States) 1pm ET (17:00 GMT)
⚽ June 24: Tunisia vs Netherlands (Kansas City, United States), 7pm ET (23:00 GMT)

Al Jazeera’s prediction

Last 16.

While the Dutch boast undoubted talent, it does not elite enough or cohere enough into a team that is bigger than the sum of its parts.

Netherlands World Cup squad

Goalkeepers: Bart Verbruggen (Brighton), Robin Roefs (Sunderland), Mark Flekken (Bayer Leverkusen).

Defenders: Jurrien Timber (Arsenal), Micky van de Ven (Tottenham), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Nathan Ake (Manchester City), Jorrel ‌Hato (Chelsea), Denzel Dumfries (Inter), Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton).

Midfielders: Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), Tijjani Reijnders (Manchester City), Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Teun Koopmeiners (Juventus), Marten de Roon (Atalanta), Quinten Timber (Marseille), ‌Guus ‌Til (PSV Eindhoven), Mats Wieffer (Brighton).

Forwards: Brian Brobbey (Sunderland), Memphis Depay (Corinthians), Cody Gakpo (Liverpool), Justin Kluivert (Bournemouth), Noa Lang (Galatasaray), Donyell Malen (Roma), Crysencio Summerville (West Ham), Wout Weghorst (Ajax).

WHO chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, urged all countries to monitor passengers who were on the MV Hondius cruise ship.

The World Health Organization has urged countries to continue monitoring passengers for hantavirus after a case was detected among a Dutch crew member of the ship at the centre of the outbreak.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO chief, told a news conference in Geneva on Friday that he urges all countries to monitor the passengers who were on board the MV Hondius cruise ship and “move carefully for the remainder of the quarantine period”.

Tedros said a Dutch crew member had tested positive and was now in isolation, taking the total positive cases to 12.

So far, three people have died due to the virus.

Tedros reiterated that no deaths have been reported since May 2, when the outbreak was first reported to the WHO.

“More than 600 contacts continue to be followed in 30 countries, and a small number of high-risk contacts are still being located,” he added.

Dutch authorities also confirmed that the infected crew member had been taken to hospital.

“The Andes virus has been detected in one person who was in quarantine in the Netherlands. The patient has since been admitted to the hospital as a precaution and is in isolation,” said the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).

“The RIVM understands that this news may raise questions or concerns. However, the chance of further spread in the Netherlands remains very small,” the statement said.

According to the RIVM, everyone who had evacuated from the Dutch-flagged ship to the Netherlands is tested every week, and two separate laboratories confirmed the positive test.

It added that the person who had tested positive had been isolating at home.

The initial cruise ship had departed on April 1 from Ushuaia, Argentina, before heading to Cape Verde and then Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands.

While the WHO is investigating how the virus got on board the ship, it is believed that the first person to contract it could have been exposed to rodents during a bird-watching expedition.

While rodents spread hantavirus, the Andes strain is the only known strain capable of spreading from human to human.

United States President Donald Trump has announced plans to deploy an additional 5,000 troops to Poland.

Trump announced the surprise deployment on social media late on Thursday, citing his friendship with right-wing Polish President Karol Nawrocki.

The move came days after a planned deployment to Poland was apparently scrapped and will deepen uncertainty surrounding the Trump administration’s approach to NATO allies and its long-term commitment to maintaining a military presence in Europe. It leaves European partners increasingly unclear about which areas they should prioritise as they formulate defence strategies.

“Based on the successful Election of the now President ⁠of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, who I was proud to Endorse, and our relationship with him, I am pleased to announce that the United States will be sending an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland,” Trump wrote.

Nawrocki welcomed the announcement on social media.

“Good alliances are those based on cooperation, mutual respect, and a commitment to our shared ‌security,” he wrote on Thursday evening.

Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski also welcomed the news on Friday, saying it ensures that “the presence of American troops in Poland will be maintained more or less at previous levels”.

About-face

The announced deployment is a sudden about-face from US declarations of plans to reduce military support to Europe under Trump’s “America First” doctrine.

The US president has for years been lambasting European NATO partners for failing to spend enough on defence. His opprobrium has risen in recent weeks as European states have criticised the US-Israeli war on Iran and refused to join the conflict.

The Pentagon abruptly announced a week ago that it was scrapping the planned deployment of 4,000 troops to Poland.

Earlier this month, Trump announced he was withdrawing 5,000 troops from Germany following a spat with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said Washington had been “humiliated” by Iranian negotiators.

The US president later said that he would be “cutting a lot further than 5,000”.

Polish officials have noted that Warsaw pays significant sums towards the cost of US troop deployments. The suggestion of a pullback has caused concern over security in Poland and elsewhere in Europe, as Russia’s war on neighbouring Ukraine continues, with the Trump administration largely ceasing efforts to mediate a ceasefire.

European states report that they are getting to grips with the need to replace US defence capabilities, albeit slowly. However, sources suggest that the erratic policies emerging from the White House are creating confusion over which elements should be prioritised.

“It is confusing indeed, and not always easy to navigate,” Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard told reporters ahead of hosting a meeting of NATO foreign ministers on Friday, which will be attended by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

US defence officials are also confused, according to the AP news agency.

“We just spent the better part of two weeks reacting to the first announcement. We don’t know what this means either,” said one official.

‘America First’

The US president has lashed out at fellow NATO members in recent months for failing to support the US-Israeli war on Iran, suggesting Washington could withdraw from the military alliance as a result.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Rubio would discuss the need for NATO allies to increase defence spending and shoulder greater responsibility at Friday’s meeting of NATO foreign ministers.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who has worked hard in recent months to attempt to soothe the US president’s displeasure with his alliance peers, welcomed Trump’s deployment to Poland and cautioned that Europe must become less reliant on the US.

Rubio said before meeting his NATO counterparts in Sweden: “Like any alliance, it ⁠has to be good ⁠for everyone who’s involved. There has to be a clear ⁠understanding of what the expectations are.” ⁠

He also suggested, however, that the meeting is likely to prove less than comfortable.

“The president’s views, frankly disappointment, at some of our NATO allies and their response to our operations in the Middle East – they’re well documented – that will have to be addressed,” he insisted, before adding “that won’t be solved or addressed today”.

While Rubio meets with NATO counterparts, senior Pentagon officials will brief partners at the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels about Washington’s commitment to European defence.

On Tuesday, the Pentagon announced it plans to reduce the number of combat brigades based in Europe from four to three.

Many of Washington’s allies in Europe remain frustrated with Trump’s handling of the war with Iran, which has damaged their economies and prompted some European leaders to question the reliability of the US.

European NATO countries also remain concerned about Trump’s threats to annex Greenland, which is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, a NATO ally.

It remains unclear whether the deployment to Poland announced on Thursday includes the same soldiers as those the Pentagon said would no longer be deployed to the Central European country, or if they will include redeployments from Germany.

MV Hondius was carrying 25 crew members and two medical personnel as it reached the Dutch port of Rotterdam.

A cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak has docked in the Netherlands for disinfection.

The MV Hondius was carrying 25 crew members and two medical personnel as it reached the Dutch port of Rotterdam on Monday, after all the passengers disembarked at other locations. According to the ship operator Oceanwide Expeditions, no one on board is experiencing any symptoms.

A short distance from where the ship docked, authorities had set up white containers along the water. The crew will enter immediate quarantine, with those who cannot be immediately repatriated spending their time in quarantine in these containers.

Three passengers of the ship died, including a Dutch couple who health officials believe were the first exposed to the virus while visiting South America.

The MV Hondius has spent the past six days sailing from the Canary Islands, where the remaining passengers were evacuated and boarded flights to more than 20 countries to enter quarantine.

There were at least 11 cases of infection on the ship, nine of which have been confirmed.

The Public Health Agency of Canada said one of the four Canadians in isolation after leaving the ship had tested positive on Sunday. It said it would share information on the case with the World Health Organization (WHO).

Late Sunday, the WHO said it was maintaining its assessment of the hantavirus outbreak as “low risk”.

“While additional cases may still occur among passengers and crew members exposed before containment measures were implemented, the risk of onward transmission is expected to be reduced following disembarkation and the implementation of control measures,” it said.

Crew members who are unable to return home will be quarantined in the Netherlands, the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport said last week. Some two dozen passengers and crew members have already been in quarantine in the Netherlands after arriving in the country on different flights in the last two weeks.

After everyone on board has disembarked, the ship will be decontaminated based on Dutch public health guidelines.

“Personal protective measures are being taken to ensure that the cleaners do not need to quarantine after the cleaning,” the Health Ministry said in a letter to the Dutch parliament last week.

Public health officials will inspect the ship before it is allowed to sail again. The hantavirus outbreak on Hondius is the first known case on a cruise ship.

France’s Pasteur Institute said on Saturday it has fully sequenced the Andes virus detected in a French passenger from the Hondius and found that it matched viruses already known in South America, with no evidence so far of new characteristics that would make it more transmissible or more dangerous.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says his talks with the Dutch PM also focused on expanding cooperation in defence and security.

India’s Tata Electronics has signed a deal with Dutch technology giant ASML to build a major semiconductor plant in western India, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Netherlands during his European tour.

The agreement, announced on Saturday, will support the development of Tata’s semiconductor facility in Dholera, Gujarat – Modi’s home state.

ASML, Europe’s largest technology company by market value, manufactures advanced lithography machines used to produce high-end microchips found in products ranging from mobile phones to cars.

The Dutch company said it would help “establish and ramp up” production at the plant by supplying its cutting-edge chipmaking tools.

Tata Electronics plans to invest $11bn in the facility, which is expected to manufacture chips for artificial intelligence, the automotive industry and other sectors.

ASML chief executive Christophe Fouquet said the company saw “many compelling opportunities” in India’s growing semiconductor industry.

“We are committed to establishing long-term partnerships in the region,” Fouquet said in a statement.

The deal comes as India and the Netherlands move to deepen economic ties, with New Delhi seeking foreign technology and investment to boost manufacturing and create jobs.

The European Union has increasingly viewed India – the world’s most populous country and one of its fastest-growing economies – as a key future market.

During his visit, Modi held talks with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten and met King Willem-Alexander.

“My conversations with Prime Minister Rob Jetten were extensive and covered a wide range of topics,” Modi wrote on X.

“One of them was defense and security. I spoke about the possibility of drawing up an action plan for the defense industry as quickly as possible. We can also collaborate in sectors such as space travel, maritime systems, and maritime security.”

Modi also addressed members of the Indian diaspora and is expected to inspect centuries-old Chola copper plates being returned to India by Leiden University.

Indian and Dutch officials are also discussing a more flexible visa arrangement for Indian students and workers in the Netherlands.

Modi will next travel to Sweden for talks with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson focused on trade, innovation and green technology cooperation. The visit marks his second trip to the country since attending the first India-Nordic summit in 2018.

Spain, Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia all withdrew in protest against Israel’s participation in the midst of its war on Gaza.

As the Eurovision Song Contest took to the stage for the Saturday night final in Vienna, thousands protested outside against Israel’s inclusion, and five countries boycotted the event over the genocidal war on Gaza.

Protesters marched through the Austrian capital to highlight what critics described as a double standard. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) organisers refused to exclude Israel, despite banning Russia following its invasion of Ukraine four years ago.

Eurovision, which attracted 166 million viewers last year, is seeing the largest boycott in its 70-year history.

Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia all withdrew because of Israel’s inclusion, with some of their national broadcasters refusing to air the show.

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who has emerged as one of Israel’s strongest critics in Europe, said on Friday that the decision puts Spain on “the right side of history”.

Last month, more than 1,000 artists called on fans to boycott Eurovision in an open letter against Israel’s participation. Among the artists were outspoken critics of Israel, Macklemore and Paloma Faith. Macklemore has released songs protesting against Israel’s war in Gaza.

Double standards

On Monday, Amnesty International Secretary-General Agnes Callamard denounced the EBU for allowing Israel to participate.

“The failure of the European Broadcasting Union to suspend Israel from Eurovision, as it did with Russia, is an act of cowardice and an illustration of blatant double standards when it comes to Israel,” she said.

Reporting from Vienna, Al Jazeera’s Charlie Angela said 2,000 demonstrators gathered in the city earlier on Saturday to protest against Israel’s participation.

Angela reported that protesters accused the competition of normalising Israel’s actions in Gaza, adding that Eurovision was “bending over backwards” to justify including Israel while excluding Russia.

Russia has faced a widespread cultural boycott following the Ukraine invasion. It is banned from international football tournaments, and FIFA and UEFA have excluded Russian domestic teams from all competitions, including the Champions League.

The winner of Eurovision will be selected by both a professional jury and TV viewers voting for their favourite act.

Austria won the competition last year, with Israel second.

The Israeli government was later accused of unfairly influencing voting. New rules have since been introduced.

The US president has accused some NATO countries of not doing enough to support the US-Israel war on Iran.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte says European leaders have “gotten the message” after United States President Donald Trump announced plans to withdraw 5,000 soldiers from Germany.

Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with NATO allies, accusing them of not doing enough to support the US-Israel war on Iran. Speaking on Monday, Rutte acknowledged “disappointment from the US side”.

“European leaders have gotten the message. They heard the message loud and clear,” Rutte said before a European Political Community meeting in Armenia.

“Europeans are stepping up, a bigger role for Europe and a stronger NATO,” he added.

The Pentagon announced the troop withdrawal from Germany on Friday, days after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Iran was humiliating the US during the negotiations aimed at ending the war.

The European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, called the announcement’s timing a “surprise”.

“I think it shows that we have to really strengthen the European pillar in NATO, and we have to really do more,” Kallas said while stressing that “American troops are not in Europe only for protecting European interests but also American interests.”

Over the weekend, NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said officials in the 32-nation military alliance “are working with the US to understand the details of their decision on force posture in Germany”.

‘Dangerous military intervention’

European criticism of the war on Iran has mounted in recent weeks as the conflict sends shockwaves through the global economy due to the continued disruption to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Last week, Merz compared the war to previous military quagmires, such as the US invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.

“It is, at the moment, a pretty tangled situation,” he said. “And it is costing us a great deal of money. This conflict, this war against Iran, has a direct impact on our economic output.”

Spain has refused to let the US launch attacks on Iran from its airspace or military bases. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has condemned the war as “unjustified” and a “dangerous military intervention” outside the realm of international law.

In response, Trump called Spain “terrible” and threatened to end all trade ties.

Despite this, Rutte said “more and more” European nations were now pre-positioning assets such as minehunters and minesweepers close to the Gulf to be ready for the “next phase” in the war.

He provided no details, and European nations have previously insisted they would not help to police the Strait of Hormuz until the war is over.

Increased defence spending

Many European countries have committed to ramping up defence spending in the face of fears over Trump’s commitment to NATO and Russia’s assault on Ukraine – a push underscored by several leaders in the Armenian capital.

“Europeans are taking their destiny into their own hands, increasing their defence and security spending, and building their own common solutions,” French President Emmanuel Macron said.

“We have to step up our military capabilities to be able to defend and protect ourselves,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters.

Two activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla arrived in the Netherlands after being released from Israeli custody. The flotilla was intercepted in international waters while carrying aid to the Gaza Strip. Two of their fellow activists remain in Israel for questioning.

Three of six passengers who fell ill from suspected rodent-transmitted virus have died, and one is in intensive care, the WHO says.

Three people have died on a cruise ship in the Atlantic, with at least one confirmed to have suffered from hantavirus, a rare disease transmitted to humans from rodents.

Health authorities are now investigating a suspected outbreak of the virus on the MV Hondius, which is sailing from Ushuaia in Argentina to Cape Verde.

In a statement on Sunday, the World Health Organization said that one case had been confirmed and at least five other passengers were suspected of being infected.

“Of the six affected individuals, three have died, and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa,” WHO said in a statement.

“Detailed investigations are ongoing, including further laboratory testing and epidemiological investigations. Medical care and support are being provided to passengers and crew. Sequencing of the virus is also ongoing.”

WHO added that it was “facilitating coordination” between countries to evacuate the two other passengers showing symptoms of the infection.

Hantavirus, a rare disease transmitted to humans through the droppings or urine of infected rodents, can be fatal in severe cases and cause hemorrhagic fever.

Infected couple among casualties

South Africa’s National Department of Health said earlier on Sunday that there had been an outbreak of a “severe acute respiratory illness”, which had killed at least two people, and that a third person was in intensive care in Johannesburg, according to the AFP news agency.

The ministry’s spokesperson, Foster Mohale, confirmed that the patient being treated in Johannesburg tested positive for hantavirus.

A 70-year-old was the first to develop symptoms. He died on the ship, with his body now being held on the island of Saint Helena, a British territory in the South Atlantic, the spokesman said.

The patient’s 69-year-old wife also fell sick and was evacuated to South Africa, where she died in a Johannesburg hospital, he added.

Mohale told AFP that authorities have not confirmed the nationalities of the deceased. But the person in intensive care was reported by AFP to be a 69-year-old Briton.

“That man had clearly had too much to drink and it felt to me like his anger came out of nowhere,” Van Gerwen, 37, told Dutch sport news website Sportnieuws.nl, external.

“Just as he seemed to be heading for the exit, he suddenly lashed out.

“That man clearly knows he was in the wrong because he apologised via Instagram.”

Van Gerwen, who has decided not to press charges against the person responsible, said of his reaction to the incident: “Of course, it’s not right for me to go after him but that was an automatic reaction of shock.”

The incident occurred before Van Gerwen was back in Premier League action in Aberdeen on Thursday.

Luke Humphries beat the Dutchman 6-3 in the pair’s quarter-final clash in Scotland.

One of the greatest players in darts history, Van Gerwen was ranked world number one between 2014 and 2021, during which period he won the Masters five times in a row.

With 48 majors singles to his name, Van Gerwen is ranked second in the PDC’s all-time list behind England’s Phil Taylor.