Dutch draw France, Sweden in 2018 World Cup qualifying round
The Dutch national football team will meet France, Sweden, Bulgaria, Belarus and Luxemburg in their World Cup 2018 qualification group.
The draw took place in St Petersburg this weekend. The nine European group winners will be placed automatically for the event along with four of the best second placed teams.
Dutch commentators have described the Dutch group as ‘difficult’. New coach Danny Blind described it as ‘a great group, but a weighty draw’.
‘These are all good football nations, and France, as former European and world champions, stand out,’ Blind said in a statement. ‘Because only the winner qualifies directly, it will be a tricky job.’
Oranje finished third in the 2014 World Cup and are currently fifth in the Fifa rankings.
The Dutch campaign kicks off against Sweden in September 2016 and ends with a home game against Sweden in October 2017.
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