Best game of the 2026 World Cup so far?! Japan and the Netherlands share the spoils in Group F's thrilling opener

Japan lived up to their "dark horses" tag against the Netherlands. (Image credits – Heute; licence details.)

Japan and the Netherlands shared the spoils in the most entertaining game of the 2026 World Cup so far, a thrilling 2-2 draw in the group F opener. Japan, also known as the "Giant Killers from Asia," lived up to its name by matching one of Europe's football heavyweights. The Dutch were considered the favourites to win the group, but it will now be more competitive.

Ronald Koeman's team dominated possession from the start and appeared to be physically stronger than the Japanese. Japan defended deep in the first half, keeping the Oranje out of the goal. However, they were rewarded for their strong first half early in the second half when Virgil van Dijk rose above Watanabe and shot past Zion Suzuki in goal.

The opening goal appeared to set the tone for the Netherlands, who were expected to extend their lead. However, Japan, as they have done before, showed tremendous spirit and responded with Keito Nakamura's sensational strike, which beat Verbruggen in the Dutch goal. Instead of being more cautious and retreating into their shell after conceding, they demonstrated the fearless intent and attacking endeavour for which they are so highly regarded throughout the football world.

The Dutch continued to attack despite the setback, with the second half played at a frantic pace. They regained the lead with a brilliant move, as Crysencio Summerville scored his first World Cup goal. Despite another setback, the Samurai Blue refused to give up and kept sending crosses into the box, forcing Koeman to switch to defensive mode.

Ultimately, this proved costly because it gave Japan more time on the ball and created more opportunities late in the game. Japan equalised again from a corner when Crystal Palace midfielder Daichi Kamada headed towards goal, taking a slight deflection and beating Verbruggen once more. At 2-2, both teams went head-to-head in search of a winner, but strong defence on both ends kept them at bay.

For Japan, this will be a positive outcome that will increase their confidence and belief that they can compete with the world's elite teams. They've gained a reputation for hurting European behemoths in recent years, and their performance this year against a well-balanced Dutch side demonstrates how far they've come since the last World Cup. Hajime Moriyasu's team was disciplined and focused without the ball, but with it, they were quite adventurous, making them unpredictable.

The Netherlands could have won this game with the quality of their defence, which is easily the most stacked in the World Cup. Regardless of the outcome, both teams are poised to qualify if they achieve even one positive result, but there is no room for error in the upcoming games. Group F could easily be one of the most entertaining groups, as Sweden thrashed Tunisia 5-1, and it could end up being a three-horse race for qualification to the next stage.

The Netherlands' physical dominance and Japan's discipline, combined with attacking flair from both ends, made this the most entertaining match so far at the World Cup and served as a gentle reminder of why we love this beautiful game.