Netherlands and Germany meet on Thursday 24 September at the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam to open Group A2 in the Nations League 2026/27, a first-round game that also marks the start of a new cycle for both teams. For Xavi Hernández, it is the first competitive test of a squad that arrives without Memphis Depay, Wout Weghorst and Marten de Roon.
That is why the fixture is drawing attention now: it is not just another international date, but the first step in a fresh campaign for two sides trying to reset after the Mundial 2026. Germany also enters a new stage under Jürgen Klopp, who called up 44 players in two lists for his opening matches, a signal that the coach is still sorting the pool before the competition tightens.
The match kicks off at 14:45 EE.UU (Este), 12:45 MEX and 20:45 ESP, with Alejandro Hernandez of Spain set to referee. Viewers in Estados Unidos can watch on fuboTV and ViX, while those in México have Sky Sports Mexico, Sky and izzi as options. The split in broadcast rights mirrors the broader picture around this game: the football is shared, but the screen is not.
For Países Bajos, the bigger storyline is not just the opponent but the shape of the team itself. Hernández has turned to new faces such as Ruben van Bommel and Gjivai Zechiël while moving on without Depay, the country’s all-time top scorer, along with Weghorst and de Roon. That makes Thursday’s lineup more than a routine selection; it is a first answer to how this new version of Países Bajos will look under pressure.
Germany brings its own uncertainty, with Klopp choosing volume over certainty by naming 44 players and dividing them into two lists. That approach leaves room for adjustment, but it also underlines how little is settled before kickoff in Amsterdam. By the time the teams walk out at the Johan Cruijff Arena, both coaches will be carrying more questions than answers, and the first one will be simple enough: which new core can handle the opening test better?
