The Netherlands are finally set to kick off their road to the 2026 World Cup as they take the field in Helsinki for a Group G clash against Finland on Saturday.
Ronald Koeman's side, still recharging after their dramatic penalty shootout exit to Spain in the Nations League quarterfinals, enter the qualifiers fresh and focused, and they're heavily tipped to top a group that includes Poland, Lithuania, and Malta.
Led by the ever-reliable Virgil van Dijk, the Dutch will be aiming for a 12th appearance on football's biggest stage. With Poland currently the only team in the group with a perfect record, the pressure is on the Oranje to hit the ground running.
For Finland, this is more than just a group-stage fixture, it's a shot at history. After narrowly edging Malta and battling to a 2-2 draw with Lithuania, they sit just behind Poland and are still very much in the mix.
With Danish manager Jacob Friis at the helm, Finland will look to rally their home crowd at the Olympic Stadium and take a major step toward what would be their first-ever World Cup berth.
As far as the odds go, the Netherlands are firm favorites at 1/4 with Betfair. A surprise home win for Finland would return 10/1, while a draw is priced at 4/1. It's a tall order for the hosts, but in football, nothing's off the table.
The Sporting News presents our forecasts and predictions to make this game more exciting and help you have a bet.
Finland vs. Netherlands prediction, tips, bet builder and odds for World Cup Qualifying clash
Cody Gakpo to score anytime — (7/4, Betfair)
The Netherlands have big names in their squad and three of them are from Liverpool: Van Dijk, Frimpong, a new reinforcement, and Cody Gakpo, a key piece in the attack of the Premier League team and the Oranje too. With 18 goals in 49 appearances for the Reds this season, Gakpo can play as a winger or a forward and often surprises with his powerful shots on goal. The striker fulfilled this pick in two of his last four games for his national team and is the protagonist of an attractive odds at 7/4.
Both Teams To Score — 6/5, Paddy Power
Although Ronald Koeman's team are the favourites to get the three points, Finland come in with confidence and promise to put up a fight: in their last six home matches, they've scored at least one goal in five of them. At the same time, they could only keep a clean sheet in one match and even struggled against Estonia, a team ranked 121st in the FIFA ranking. For their part, the Netherlands scored 10 goals in their four most recent encounters, but conceded six. With those numbers, a match with a lot of action and both teams to hit the net is expected.
Finland vs. Netherlands predicted score and most likely results
Here's the most likely results for this World Cup qualifying match-up, according to Betway. Odds are correct at the time of publish, but are subject to change.
| Result | Odds |
|---|---|
| Netherlands 2-0 | 19/4 |
| Netherlands 1-0 | 5/1 |
| Netherlands 3-0 | 13/2 |
| Netherlands 2-1 | 15/2 |
| Draw 1-1 | 8/1 |
| Netherlands 3-1 | 9/1 |
How to watch Finland vs. Netherlands in World Cup Qualifying action
- Date: Saturday, June 7, 2025
- Venue: Helsinki Olympic Stadium (Helsinki, Finland)
- Time: 7:45 p.m. BST
- TV/Streaming: TNT Sports