Frenkie de Jong is back on the World Cup stage. The 29-year-old Barcelona midfielder has been named in the starting lineup for the Netherlands’ opening match against Japan in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, taking the field in Dallas, Texas on June 14, 2026.
For a player whose career has been defined by elegant passing and metronomic midfield control, the moment represents something of a full-circle return. De Jong featured in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and now gets the nod from coach Ronald Koeman as the Dutch look to make a deep run in the first expanded-format tournament in FIFA history.
De Jong was officially named to the Dutch squad on May 27, 2026. Both he and Koeman participated in pre-match press conferences ahead of the opener, signaling the midfielder’s central role in the team’s tactical setup.
This match marks de Jong’s debut in the expanded World Cup format, which features 48 teams for the first time.
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