Germany and the Netherlands Open World Cup Campaigns in Key Matches

Germany opens its World Cup 2026 campaign tonight, Sunday at 20:00, against tiny Curaçao at NRG Stadium in Houston. The Germans are under heavy public pressure after painful early exits in previous tournaments, and coach Julian Nagelsmann is leaning on the experience of Joshua Kimmich alongside the younger energy of Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz. Germany beat the United States 2-1 in its last warm-up, and Kai Havertz arrives in good form after also scoring in the Champions League final two weeks ago.

Curaçao are making their historic World Cup debut with great excitement. They are led by veteran Dutch coach Dick Advocaat, who will become the oldest coach in World Cup history. Kenji Gorré, who plays for Maccabi Haifa, is expected to start on the bench for the Caribbean side.

Later, at 23:00 in Dallas, the Netherlands face Japan in a far more difficult Group F opener at AT&T Stadium. The Dutch come in after a 2-1 friendly win over Uzbekistan, in which Cody Gakpo scored twice. Japan are viewed as a dangerous opponent despite many absences, and the article says they can stand toe to toe with the Netherlands thanks to tactical discipline and quick counterattacks. However, three key midfielders, Wataru Endo, Kaoru Mitoma and Takumi Minamino, are injured and unavailable.

The Dutch are also getting major support off the pitch, with thousands of fans already filling Dallas and bringing the famous Orange Parade to the United States for the first time, creating a home-like atmosphere. So far in the tournament, European teams have disappointed, with Scotland the only European side to win, a narrow 1-0 over Haiti. The article also lists the expected lineups for Germany, Curaçao, the Netherlands and Japan.