The Netherlands secured a draw against Poland in Warsaw, putting them on the verge of confirming their spot at the 2026 World Cup.
After the match, they remain three points ahead of Poland in Group G and boast a goal difference advantage of 13 goals. This leaves them in a strong position heading into Monday’s final fixtures.
Poland, however, has ensured at least a playoff place in the qualifiers. Robert Lewandowski set up Jakub Kaminski, who scored by slipping the ball through Bart Verbruggen’s legs, giving the hosts an early lead.
Despite falling behind, Ronald Koeman’s team responded in the second half. Donyell Malen’s header was initially saved, but Memphis Depay, the nation’s record scorer, converted the rebound to level the score.
Depay maintains strong qualifying form
Depay, who plays for Corinthians, now has eight goals in the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. His tally is second only to Erling Haaland of Norway, who has scored 14.
The Netherlands is now in a comfortable position for qualification. A single point against Lithuania in their final group match would be enough to secure a World Cup spot without relying on other results.
Even if the Netherlands were to lose to Lithuania, Poland would face the nearly impossible task of defeating Malta with a 13-goal swing in goal difference to overtake them.
Other results shape the playoff race.
Earlier on Friday, Malta achieved a 1-0 victory over Finland, ending the Nordic side’s hopes of reaching the playoffs.
This result adds further clarity to the Group G standings, as Poland’s opportunity to overtake the Netherlands now depends on extreme results in the final round.
With Monday’s fixtures approaching, the Netherlands are firmly in control of their destiny and appear poised to return to the World Cup stage.