Morocco vs Netherlands LIVE: Team news, kick-off time and prediction for World Cup last 32 tie

Here’s the remaining list of last-32 fixtures as the knockout round gets underway across North America:

• Round of 32 – Match 78: Ivory Coast vs Norway, kick-off 6pm – Arlington, USA
• Round of 32 – Match 77: France vs Sweden, kick-off 10pm – New Jersey, USA

• Round of 32 – Match 79: Mexico vs Ecuador, kick-off 2am – Mexico City, Mexico
• Round of 32 – Match 80: England vs DR Congo, kick-off 5pm – Atlanta, USA
• Round of 32 – Match 82: Belgium vs Senegal, kick-off 9pm – Seattle, USA

• Round of 32 – Match 81: USA vs Bosnia kick-off 1am – Santa Clara, USA
• Round of 32 – Match 84: Spain vs Austria, kick-off 8pm – Los Angeles, USA

• Round of 32 – Match 83: Portugal vs Croatia, kick-off 12am – Toronto, Canada
• Round of 32 – Match 85: Switzerland vs Algeria, kick-off 4am – Vancouver, Canada
• Round of 32 – Match 88: Australia vs Egypt, kick-off 7pm – Arlington, USA
• Round of 32 – Match 86: Argentina vs Cape Verde, kick-off 11pm – Miami, USA

• Round of 32 – Match 87: Colombia vs Ghana, kick-off 2.30am – Kansas City, USA

The 2026 World Cup is storming towards the knockout stages after this year’s bumper 48-team tournament had its first culling.

After a build-up that centred on controversy, greed and conflict, fans have been captivated by some enthralling performances and disappointed by others, with the likes of France and holders Argentina stamping their marks as rightful favourites, while England, Portugal and Brazil have all made slight missteps.

But the group stage is only the beginning – history will be written on the road to the final, with 32 remaining teams now raring to sink their teeth into the drama of knockouts football.

Here’s how every team in the knockout stages stacks up in The Independent’s World Cup 2026 power rankings, delving deeper into the top 10:

Just the two changes for the Netherlands after their win over Tunisia. One is in defence, where Micky van de Ven returns in place of Tijjani Reijnders as Ons Oranje move to a back five.

The other change is in attack, where Donyell Malen drops out in favour of Crysencio Summerville.

Netherlands XI: Verbruggen; van Hecke, van Dijk, van de Ven; Dumfries, de Jong; Gravenberch, Ake; Summerville, Brobbey, Gakpo.

Subs: Roefs, Flekken, Reijnders, Hato, Lang, Til, Wieffer, Weghorst, Kluivert, de Roon, Geertruida, Timber, Koopmeiners, Depay,, Malen.

Morocco boss Mohamed Ouahbi makes four changes to the side that beat Haiti in their final group game.

In defence, Noussair Mazraoui and Issa Diop return in place of Redouane Halhal and Anass Salah-Eddine.

In midfield, Sofyan Amrabat makes way for Ayyoub Bouaddi, while in attack Ayoub El Kaabi comes out in favour of Azzedine Ounahi, with Ismael Saibari moving to striker.

Morocco XI: Bounou; Hakimi, Diop, Riad, Mazraoui; Bouaddi, El Aynaoui; Diaz, Ounahi, El Khannouss; Saibari.

Subs: El Kajoui, Tagnaouti, Salah-Eddine, Belammari, Halhal, El Ouahdi, Saadane, El Mourabet, Amrabat, Talbi, Rahimi, El Kaabi, Gessime, Amaimouni, Sbai.

Line-ups should be released any time now, so here’s a reminder of the early team news for both sides…

Brian Brobbey and Denzel Dumfries have slight knocks and, despite both being passed fit, are doubts to start for the Netherlands. Micky van de Ven should return at the expense of Nathan Ake.

Morocco have no injury concerns but should make plenty of changes from the team that started against Haiti with first choice players such as Noussair Mazraoui and Issa Diop returing to the line-up.

We’ve had two results from the last 32 so far, with co-hosts Canada sneaking past South Africa late on and Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil coming from behind to beat Japan 2-1 courtesy of a 96th-minute winner from Gabriel Martinelli.

The Dutch squad perhaps put it best ahead of the most fascinating last-32 tie of all, against Morocco.

“It’s game on,” said Dutch defender Jan Paul van Hecke. “Now, the big games come.”

These two sides are ranked sixth and seventh in the world in the latest Fifa rankings, though one of them will go crashing out of the World Cup this evening.

Morocco are ranked sixth as they look to make more World Cup history after making the semi-finals in 2022, while the Netherlands are looking to build on their semi-final exit at Euro 2024 as they look to make the latter rounds this summer.