The Netherlands will be back on home soil as they continue their march toward the 2026 World Cup, rolling out the welcome mat for Malta at Groningen’s Euroborg Stadium on Tuesday.
After bowing out in the Nations League quarterfinals, the Dutch kicked off their qualifying journey in style, brushing past Finland with poise and polish.
Denzel Dumfries made it 2-0 midway through the first half, slotting home after Cody Gakpo served up a pinpoint delivery on a silver platter. Memphis Depay nearly added more gloss to the scoreline after the break, while keeper Mark Flekken barely had to break a sweat.
As for Malta, they arrive with a bit of wind in their sails following a commendable Nations League run that saw them bag seven points from four matches — good enough for second place and a ticket to the promotion/relegation playoffs.
A double-header against Luxembourg awaits in March 2026, but right now, the Maltese have their eyes firmly fixed on the mountain that is World Cup qualification.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times and the latest lineup news.
Netherlands vs. Malta live stream, TV channel
Here’s how to watch this World Cup qualifier in the US:
TV channel: FS2
Live stream: Fubo
The broadcast for this game is available in the US on FS2. Streaming options are available on Fubo.
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What time does Netherlands vs. Malta kick off?
This Netherlands vs. Malta clash takes place at the Euroborg in Groningen, Netherlands and kicks off on Tuesday, June 10 at 8:45 p.m. local time.
Here’s how that time translates across US:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Eastern Time | Tue, June 10 | 2:45 p.m. |
| Central Time | Tue, June 10 | 1:45 p.m. |
| Mountain Time | Tue, June 10 | 12:45 p.m. |
| Pacific Time | Tue, June 10 | 11:45 a.m. |
Netherlands vs. Malta predicted lineups, team news
The Netherlands will be missing a handful of familiar faces for their upcoming clash, as Jurrien Timber, Matthijs de Ligt, Jerdy Schouten, Joey Veerman, Kenneth Taylor, Brian Brobbey, and Joshua Zirkzee have all been sidelined — some nursing knocks, others left out by choice.
With a few reshuffles on the cards, Stefan de Vrij might step into the spotlight alongside Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the defense. The Inter Milan stalwart got a runout off the bench over the weekend and looks primed to slot into the starting XI.
Up front, it’s business as usual for Memphis Depay, who shows no signs of slowing down. The seasoned striker found the net for the 48th time in his 101st appearance during the win over Finland and will once again lead the line with swagger and intent.
Netherlands predicted XI (4-3-3, right to left): Verbruggen (GK) — Dumfries, De Vrij, Van Dijk, Ake — Gravenberch, De Jong, Reijnders — Frimpong, Gakpo, Depay.
Injured: Jurrien Timber, Matthijs de Ligt, Jerdy Schouten, Joey Veerman, Kenneth Taylor, Brian Brobbey, Joshua Zirkzee.
Suspended: None.
The visitors will be without Sion striker Ilyas Chouaref, who remains on the naughty step as he serves the final match of a two-game suspension.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. Defensive reinforcements have arrived just in time, with Gabriel Mentz and Kurt Shaw cleared to return after sitting out the stalemate against Lithuania due to bans of their own.
All eyes will be on James Carragher — son of Liverpool legend Jamie — as the young center-back gears up for a trial by fire.
He’s expected to anchor a three-man backline with Shaw and Zach Muscat, bracing for a full-on Dutch onslaught led by a red-hot Memphis Depay and company. Carragher’s got a tall order on his hands — it’ll be all hands on deck to keep the Oranje wave at bay.
Malta predicted XI (3-5-2 right to left): Bonello (GK) — Shaw, Carragher, Muscat — J. Mbong, Guillaumier, Teuma, Satariano, Camenzuli — Jones, P. Mbong.
Injured: Ilyas Chouaref.
Suspended: None.
European World Cup Qualifying fixture schedule this week
All times in ET
Monday, June 9
- Kazakhstan vs North Macedonia (10:00 a.m.)
- Estonia vs Norway (2:45 p.m.)
- Italy vs Moldova (2:45 p.m.)
- Belgium vs Wales (2:45 p.m.)
- Croatia vs Czech Republic (2:45 p.m.)
- Faroe Islands vs Gibraltar (2:45 p.m.)
Tuesday, June 10
- Finland vs Poland (2:45 p.m.)
- Netherlands vs Malta (2:45 p.m.)
- Romania vs Cyprus (2:45 p.m.)
- San Marino vs Austria (2:45 p.m.)
- Latvia vs Albania (2:45 p.m.)
- Serbia vs Andorra (2:45 p.m.)
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