PSV and AZ kick off the season with the Johan Cruyff Shield on August 2

The summer of 2026 feels for the PSV faithful like a long run-up to one of those evenings you’ve been looking forward to for weeks. On 2 August, PSV will face AZ in the contest for the Johan Cruijff Shield, the traditional curtain-raiser to the football season. For many supporters, that match is more than just a game: it’s the moment when the summer silence finally makes way for the familiar buzz around the Philips Stadium. The tension, the smell of freshly mown grass, the first real applause after months of absence—all of it belongs to the way fans experience moments like these.

And precisely that kind of experience has changed significantly over the years. Where following such an opening duel used to be limited to television and the newspaper, the modern supporter now scrolls online for days in advance to devour everything surrounding the match. The same digital habit explains why sports betting enthusiasts today often fall back on a comparison guide with the best online gambling sites in the Netherlands. Such an overview ranks the ten most reliable, legal Dutch providers for 2026 and evaluates them on bonuses, the range of games, the speed of payouts, and their license. For anyone who likes to know which providers operate properly and safely before a top match like PSV–AZ gets underway, such a ranking is a useful starting point that takes a lot of research off your hands.

From black-and-white images to a season full of anticipation

It's funny to think how differently a season opener looked roughly twenty years ago. The Johan Cruijff Shield — back then, for some, still just 'the Supercup' — was at the time a somewhat restrained appetizer, tucked away somewhere in the last days of vacation. Nowadays it’s an event in itself, with sold-out stands, an elaborate build-up, and an atmosphere that makes you forget that the competition officially still has to begin.

For PSV supporters, history also matters. The Eindhoven team has regularly held the trophy aloft in recent years, and each new edition feels like an opportunity to carry on that tradition. AZ, for its part, is anything but filler: the Alkmaar side has developed into a regular stumbling block for the top, with a crop of talent that seems to be afraid of nothing.

A summer that begins in America

What makes this year extra special is that Eindhoven’s attention first turns toward North America. Before the Johan Cruyff Shield is in sight, Oranje will play its group matches at the 2026 World Cup. The Netherlands national team opens on 20 June against Sweden, a matchup that many a PSV fan is eagerly awaiting. Anyone who wants to read the details of that encounter will find everything at Netherlands vs. Sweden in the group stage.

For the fans in Eindhoven, a World Cup is always double enjoyment: it’s football at the highest level, and an opportunity to see former PSV players and current club heroes shine in the orange shirt. The holiday period takes on a rhythm of summer highlights, with one event seamlessly flowing into the next. By the time the last World Cup emotions have been processed, the start of the season is already on the doorstep.

Players and storylines to keep an eye on

The question that towers above all else: with which selection does PSV appear at the start on 2 August? The summer months are traditionally the busiest period in the transfer market, and rumors about incoming and outgoing players keep the forums buzzing. Who stays? Who makes the move to a foreign powerhouse? And which new face must give the team an immediate boost?

In addition, there is the question of fitness. Players who stay deep into the World Cup tournament join later and have less preparation time. That makes the balance between experienced players and young talent all the more interesting. AZ is dealing with similar puzzles, which makes it difficult to predict the difference in strength on that first August Saturday — and that’s precisely why it’s so exciting.

Anyone who wants to follow the broader context of Oranje's World Cup adventure can turn to the overview of Group F at the World Cup, where the Netherlands plays Sweden as well as Tunisia. That match is scheduled for 25 June and serves as the second benchmark point before thoughts finally shift decisively to club football.

The atmosphere around the match: then and now

The way supporters gather around a major match has perhaps changed the most. In the past it was just a beer in the regular bar; now fans form complete parades heading to the stadium, complete with banners, singing and a sea of club colours. This phenomenon is no longer typically Dutch by any means. During the World Cup in the United States, for example, an orange fan walk in Houston is organized, in which supporters walk to the stadium together—an image many a PSV fan will likely recognize.

The collective experience returns in August to familiar territory. The walk to the Philips Stadium, the chants that can be heard long before kickoff, the tension that slowly builds up: these are the ingredients that make an opening match unforgettable. For those who are there for the first time, it becomes an introduction to a ritual that has been passed down through generations.

Countdown to 2 August

With the World Cup as a warm-up and a friendly against Villarreal on 25 July as the final test, the Eindhoven fanbase is moving ever closer to the summer’s peak. The Johan Cruyff Shield against AZ is more than a trophy you can win — it is the official return of football, something the city misses during the quiet months.

Over the coming weeks, the stories, rumors and expectations will continue to pile up. And when the ball finally starts rolling on 2 August, everyone will know once again exactly why this season was worth waiting for.