WILLEMSTAD - The Dutch national team (Oranje) could find itself in a World Cup group filled with strong Dutch connections when the draw for next year’s tournament takes place on 5 December. Based on the provisional pot allocation, a group featuring Morocco and either Curaçao or Cape Verde is a realistic possibility.
The final pot lineup will be determined by the FIFA world ranking, which will be updated for the last time on 21 November. Only then will it become clear which opponents the Netherlands might face. Although small shifts are still possible, the Netherlands is firmly placed in Pot 1, Morocco in Pot 2 and Curaçao in Pot 4.
According to the current distribution, Pot 1 includes major football nations such as Mexico, the United States, Canada, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Pot 2 currently features teams like Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Austria, Ecuador and Australia. Pot 3 is led by Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. Pot 4 includes Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Haiti, Curaçao, New Zealand, the four winners of the European play-offs and two winners of the intercontinental play-offs.
A group with Morocco and Curaçao or Cape Verde would stand out due to the significant Dutch influence in all three squads. Both Morocco and Curaçao field numerous players born in the Netherlands, and Cape Verde also maintains deep ties with Dutch football through its large diaspora.
The pot distribution could still change depending on the outcome of the play-offs, as FIFA has not yet announced the final draw procedure. Some play-off winners may be assigned to different pots based on their FIFA ranking. For instance, should Italy win its play-off route, it would move into Pot 2.
Even under updated projections—where teams such as Italy, Denmark, Turkey or Poland could shift into higher pots—a group featuring the Netherlands, Morocco and Curaçao remains entirely possible.
For Curaçao and Cape Verde, the upcoming World Cup will be historic. Ranked 82nd and 71st in the world respectively, both nations have qualified for the tournament for the first time. Curaçao secured its ticket last night with a 0-0 draw against Jamaica. Remarkably, every player on the Curaçao squad was born in the Netherlands. The team is led by Dutch head coach Dick Advocaat, assisted by Cor Pot, while press officer Kees Jansma, team doctor Casper van Eijk and team manager Wouter Jansen are also Dutch.
Cape Verde qualified earlier in October, also marking its first World Cup appearance. Rotterdam is often referred to as the country’s unofficial second capital due to its large Cape Verdean community.
Suriname, meanwhile, could still emerge as a possible World Cup opponent for the Netherlands. Stanley Menzo’s team failed to qualify directly after a 3-1 loss to Guatemala, but still has a chance through the intercontinental play-offs. Two World Cup places are available via that route. Suriname will first face either Bolivia or New Caledonia in the semi-final. A win would set up a decisive final against Iraq or Congo.
