Memphis Depay, the Netherlands' all-time top scorer and assister, has managed to recover in time from his hamstring injury for the World Cup, while Arsenal's Jurrien Timber also makes the cut, despite earlier doubts from manager Ronald Koeman.
Koeman also handed Bournemouth star Justin Kluivert a call-up after months of injury struggles. Kluivert will come in handy in Oranje's attacking midfield, where Spurs' Xavi Simons will be missed after tearing his ACL in April.
Simons is one of two key midfielders who'll miss out on the tournament due to injury, with PSV captain Jerdy Schouten also out with a torn ACL.
Centre-backs Matthijs de Ligt, who got back surgery in April, and mainstay Stefan de Vrij, who suffered an injury in Inter's season finale against Bologna, will miss the World Cup as well.
ALSO READ: 'No surprise to me': Ronald Koeman explains Netherlands squad, injury doubts
Another key player out for the 2026 World Cup is Liverpool's Jeremie Frimpong, whose reliability issues this season led Koeman to pick West Ham's Crysencio Summerville over him.
A teammate of Schouten, midfielder and Flashscore Eredivisie Player of the Season Joey Veerman, was not even part of Koeman's secret 55-man preliminary squad. Veerman has not played for the Netherlands since Euro 2024 and recently publicly criticised Koeman for handling the situation: "If you keep holding press conferences like that and saying I’m not a good person, then at some point I’ll just have had enough. He doesn’t need to call me anymore," Veerman told ESPN.
Marten de Roon returns to the Oranje squad after last playing for the Netherlands in March 2024. The Atalanta captain replaces Schouten and Veerman in the 26-man squad. PSV's Guus Til is another returning player, with the 6-time international having played just one game for the Netherlands since June 2022.
The full World Cup squad
Goalkeepers: Mark Flekken (Bayer Leverkusen), Robin Roefs (Sunderland), Bart Verbruggen (Brighton)
Defenders: Nathan Aké (Manchester City), Denzel Dumfries (Inter),Jorrel Hato (Chelsea), Jurriën Timber (Arsenal), Micky van de Ven (Spurs), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton), Mats Wieffer (Brighton)
Midfielders: Frenkie de Jong (FC Barcelona), Marten de Roon (Atalanta), Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), Justin Kluivert (Bournemouth), Teun Koopmeiners (Juventus), Tijjani Reijnders (Manchester City), Guus Til (PSV), Quinten Timber (Olympique Marseille)
Forwards: Brian Brobbey (Sunderland), Memphis Depay (Corinthians), Cody Gakpo (Liverpool), Noa Lang (Galatasaray, on loan from Napoli), Donyell Malen (Roma), Crysencio Summerville (West Ham), Wout Weghorst (Ajax)
Players on standby: Lutsharel Geertruida (Sunderland), Ian Maatsen (Aston Villa)
The Netherlands' World Cup schedule
Sunday, June 14th: The Netherlands - Japan (03.00 PM CST local time, 22.00 CET)
Saturday, June 20th: The Netherlands - Sweden (12.00 AM CST local time, 19.00 CET)
Friday, June 26th: Tunisia - The Netherlands (06.00 PM CST local time, 01.00 CET on Friday, June 26th)
FAQ
Why is Jeremie Frimpong not in the Netherlands 2026 World Cup squad?
Jeremie Frimpong has not been selected due to injury issues during the 2025-26 season.
Is Xavi Simons playing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
No, Xavi Simons tore his ACL in April and will not play in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Who is the captain of the Dutch national team for the 2026 World Cup?
Virgil van Dijk will be the captain of the Dutch national team. Frenkie de Jong is the vice-captain.
When does the Netherlands play their first match at the 2026 World Cup?
The Netherlands will play their first match at the 2026 World Cup against Japan on Sunday, June 14th.
How many players are in the official Dutch World Cup squad?
There are 26 players in the official Netherlands squad, excluding two standby players.
Which debutants did Ronald Koeman select for the tournament?
Crysencio Summerville debuts in the Netherlands' squad, while Robin Roefs has been called up before but hasn't played a game yet.