Netherlands Postpone World Cup Squad Reveal Ahead of June Friendlies

Koeman gives injured stars extra time before naming Netherlands squad  

Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman has pushed the World Cup squad reveal to May 27th to give injured players like Depay, Kluivert and Timber more time to prove fitness.

Ronald Koeman will name his Netherlands World Cup squad on May 27th, with friendlies vs Algeria and Uzbekistan set before the opener against Japan on June 14th...

Netherlands head coach Ronald Koeman has pushed back the announcement of his World Cup squad to give injured players extra time to show they’re fit.

The Dutch football association confirmed the squad will now be named on Wednesday, May 27th, two days later than originally planned.

Memphis Depay, the team’s top scorer, is among those facing a race against time, along with Bournemouth’s Justin Kluivert and Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber. All three are doubtful for next month’s tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

"By taking ⁠two extra ‌days, we can be more certain that the players we are going to select are in good shape,” Koeman said in a statement released by the football association.

“Moreover, it gives us the opportunity to personally ⁠see, speak to and assess several players who are in contention for the final selection during training days on May 25th, 26th and 27th.

“This ‌has no further impact on our original schedule, as preparation with the complete group starts on Saturday, May 30th. I would therefore like to utilise the extra time this offers to take all aspects into account in the choices we make regarding the final selection,” he added.

The Netherlands squad will depart for the United States on June 4th ahead of their opening World Cup game against Japan on June 14th in Dallas.

#FIFAWorldCup ⏳

14-06 🇳🇱🇯🇵 in Dallas.
20-06 🇳🇱🇸🇪 in Houston.
25-06 🇹🇳🇳🇱 in Kansas City.#NothingLikeOranje pic.twitter.com/OL6hRFAOpz

— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) May 11, 2026

They have two friendlies scheduled before that, facing fellow qualifiers Algeria in Rotterdam on June 3rd and Uzbekistan in New York on June 8th.