The Orange Lionesses will receive support through a special plan during the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The tournament will be organized on the other side of the world next summer, but national coach Andries Jonker knows that the Netherlands has a special bond with the host countries.
The Netherlands will play its three group matches in New Zealand and will have to go to Australia if they survive the group stage. During the group phase, the Orange will be able to count on a lot of support, Jonker explained on NPO Radio 1. ‘I was told by the ambassador in New Zealand during the draw for the World Cup that there are 200,000 New Zealanders with Dutch roots. They often still have strong ties with our country.’
Because the Netherlands will not meet host country New Zealand at the World Cup for the time being, the Lionesses can count on support. “The ambassador planned to mobilize that Dutch enclave together with the mayors of the host cities, so that we can more or less play a home game there, in a stadium filled with Orange fans,” Jonker predicted.
July 23rd
For the Netherlands, the World Cup starts on July 23, but the opponent of the first game is not yet known. Portugal or the winner of the match between Cameroon and Thailand will face the Orange in the first group match. The other group members are Vietnam and reigning world champion United States. That country defeated the Netherlands four years ago at the previous World Cup in the final.
The Orange Lionesses had qualified for next year’s World Cup after an absurd match, last year. The losing 2019 World Cup finalist seemed to have to accept a draw against Iceland despite an incredible number of chances, but the crucial winning goal fell in injury time: 1-0.
