Day four of the FIFA World Cup 2026 has a lot in store for fans.
The headline event on Sunday is the Netherlands vs Japan group match: A clash of the three-time runners-up and one of the strongest Asian teams.
We will also witness history being made as Curacao become the smallest-ever nation to play at the World Cup, when they begin their tournament by facing Germany.
Ecuador – counted among the tournament’s dark horses – are also in action, facing the Ivory Coast, while Sweden face Tunisia as they return after missing the last edition.
Away from the football, basketball fever engulfed New York, as the Knicks were crowned NBA champions, taking the spotlight away from the World Cup in the United States.
Sunday’s match between the Netherlands and Japan is among Al Jazeera’s top five must-watch group games of the 2026 World Cup.
Runners-up in 1974, 1978 and 2010, the Netherlands kick off Group F with an exciting meeting with Japan, who are capable of pulling off major upsets, having defeated Germany and Spain in the group stage at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
After reaching the final three times, the Dutch – by their own admission – are putting pressure on themselves to go all the way in North America.
While the Netherlands’ previous golden generation – the 1988 Euro-winning team – could not replicate their continental success on the global stage, Ronald Koeman’s current crop of players has the talent and calibre. And for the first time, they have an outside chance of lifting the trophy.
“We put a lot of pressure on ourselves,” Koeman told reporters on Saturday. “We want to go far in the tournament. We have a strong team, and we know what we need to improve to have a real chance.
“But we need to take it one game at a time. We need to focus first on Japan, which will be a difficult game.”
Boasting the likes of high-profile players such as Virgil van Dijk, Memphis Depay, Tijjani Reijnders and Cody Gakpo, the Dutch are ones to watch in the opening round of the expanded 48-team World Cup.
Japan, though, will look to spoil their party. Coach Hajime Moriyasu knows his side face a battle to get through a challenging group, if the Samurai Blue are to deliver on his dream of going into uncharted territory at the World Cup.
“We have to survive this stage no matter what, but at the same time I see that it is a very tough group,” said Moriyasu, who took Japan into the last 16 at the finals in Qatar. “The top of the top talent is found in the Netherlands team.”
Japan have never won a game in the knockout phase of the World Cup, losing on each of their four previous appearances in the last 16, and Moriyasu’s side go into the finals without influential captain Wataru Endo. But watch out for Ayase Ueda, Takefusa Kubo, Junya Ito and Daichi Kamada.
Stats provider Opta’s supercomputer has given the Netherlands a 50.2 percent chance of winning this Group F match against Japan, who have 24.5 percent odds of victory. There is a 25.2 percent chance of a draw.
Overall, the Dutch are frontrunners to come out on top in this group, with a 49.46 percent chance. The other teams in this section are Tunisia and Sweden.
Curacao – the tiny Caribbean island of just more than 150,000 people and covering only 443 square kilometres (171 square miles) – is set to become the smallest country ever to compete at a FIFA World Cup.
After scripting a fairytale qualification, they arrive in North America as one of the four debutants and face the daunting task of playing four-time world champions Germany.
But Curacao, who rely heavily on their diaspora in the Netherlands for players, are not giving up just yet.
“We are a small country compared to Germany, but we will make life difficult for them and be a tough team to play,” coach Dick Advocaat said.
“We have nothing to lose. The expectation is not that high outside of us as a squad, because we think we can surprise people. Just being here is great for the players and the country, but we also have to show people what we are made of.”
Along with Curacao, Advocaat is also set to achieve a record: The 78-year-old will become the oldest coach in World Cup history.
Germany has a whopping 90.7 percent chance of winning this Group E game against Curacao, who have a mere 3.6 percent chance of pulling off an upset. There is a 5.7 percent chance the game ends in a draw.
Overall, Germany have a 65.32 percent chance of topping this group, which also includes Ivory Coast and Ecuador.
This one’s an interesting fixture, with both teams having a near-equal chance of winning.
Ivory Coast have a 37.5 percent probability of winning, while Ecuador’s chance of a win stands at 35.2 percent. A draw has an odds of 27.3 percent.
Sweden are favourites to win this game, having a 51.1 percent chance of victory. Tunisia’s odds stand at 23.2 percent, lower than the 25.7 percent chance of a draw.
The World Cup carnival finally kicked off in New York on Saturday, as Brazil and Morocco faced off in a heavyweight Group C clash. But the football fever was overshadowed by the basketball elation after the hometown Knicks broke a 53-year curse to win the NBA Finals.
New York erupted in celebration in the aftermath of the Knicks’ 94-90 Game 5 win over the San Antonio Spurs, with fans letting off fireworks and a cacophony of cheers and car horns reverberating around the city.
“Knicks in five!” chanted crowds after the hometown basketball dynasty sealed the seven-match series in five.
Times Square in central Manhattan was packed with Brazil and Morocco fans following their clash, but the rest of the city surged with elated crowds of Knicks fans.
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