Legendary double-decker has been ferrying Netherlands fans around the world for more than 20 years
Driver Frans Peeters is experiencing his fifth FIFA World Cup™ with the bus in North America
Thousands of fans turned Houston, Texas into a sea of orange for the famous Oranje Fanwalk
When more than 10,000 Dutch fans gathered at Rice University in Houston, Texas, on Saturday morning, there was no lingering sign of the brief moment of alarm from a couple of days earlier. Flags were flying, songs echoed through the streets, and at the head of the procession, the famous Oranje Bus rolled towards Houston Stadium.
Two days earlier, a technical fault had briefly brought the legendary double-decker to a halt – a little “Houston, we have a problem” moment in the city of space travel – but the problem was resolved in time for the main event.
The bus led thousands of fans on the Oranje Fanwalk through the streets of Houston, where the Netherlands went on to beat Sweden 5-1 a few hours later, writing another chapter in an extraordinary story.
A bus travelling around the world
For 22 years, Frans Peeters has been driving Dutch fans around the world on the Oranje Bus. The FIFA World Cup 2026™ is his fifth World Cup with the iconic vehicle. From Germany to South Africa, Brazil to Qatar, and right through to North America, the double-decker has been there whenever the Netherlands take to the world stage.
“Wherever we go, there’s singing, dancing and laughter,” says Peeters. “We bring joy and smiles to people’s lives. At the end of the day, we’re all one big family."
The bus’ story began ahead of UEFA EURO 2004, when a group of friends bought an old English double-decker and painted it in the colours of the Netherlands. What began as a spur-of-the-moment idea has gone on to become a symbol of Dutch fan culture. To date, the bus has covered more than 70,000 kilometres at sea and tens of thousands more on roads around the world. Some estimates say that more than 450,000 fans have followed the bus on more than 60 fan marches.
For Peeters, the bus has long been more than just a vehicle.
“There’s no other bus in the world that follows a national team wherever it goes,” he says. “It takes time and money and, sometimes, it can be a bit of a nerve-wracking experience. But we do it anyway.”
Led by the orange double-decker, the Oranje Fanwalk drew thousands of people in Houston. Along the route, they were joined not only by Dutch fans but also by numerous residents of the Host City.
Among the fans on the walk were Paul Hirschel and Caroline Dessing from Rotterdam, dressed as orange Statues of Liberty. “Lady Liberty stands for democracy, for freedom, for international friendship,” said Dessing. “And those are all the things that are very important to us and to the Dutch community of football lovers.”
More than just a fan march
FIFA Legends Wesley Sneijder and Edwin van der Sar joined as well the walk in Houston and experienced the special atmosphere first hand.
“It never gets boring,” Sneijder told Dutch broadcaster NOS. “It’s not just Dutch fans you see. The people of Houston have also joined us for a party. Wherever the Oranje play, people talk about this fan walk. It has become a real tradition.”
Chris Canetti, President of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Houston Host Committee, was also impressed by the atmosphere. “The arrival of the Oranje fans will bring tremendous energy to our city", said Canetti. "Houston welcomes thousands of Dutch supporters with open arms and looks forward to all the festivities to come. We are proud that our city will serve as the backdrop for this orange spectacle."
"What makes the Oranje so special is the connection between the team and our fans", said Marianne van Leeuwen, Director of Professional Football at the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB). "Together, we create that unique Oranje atmosphere. We want to give fans an experience they’ll remember for a long time."
When “Football Unites the World”
For Peeters, the significance of the Oranje Bus goes far beyond football. When asked about his fondest memory, and can be an eye-opening experience for some.
“At first, the people there seemed very reserved,” he recalls of a previous trip to UEFA Euro 2012 in Ukraine. “After the first match, you could see a little smile. After the second, a bigger one. And after the third match, they marched along with us to the stadium, singing and dancing. It was like a flower slowly opening.”
For the Dutchman, that experience summed up what the Oranje Bus is all about: bringing people together – regardless of language, background or culture.
That connection was also evident in Houston. Along the route, local residents cheered on the fans and some even joined the procession. “The cultural fusion that we’re seeing here, it’s amazing, honestly,” said Noe Contreras from Houston. “That’s exactly what makes this tournament so special.”
“We’re the 12th man behind our team,” says Peeters. “For better or for worse.”
When the Oranje Bus finally pulled up outside Houston Stadium, with thousands of fans following in its wake, that was exactly what happened. The Netherlands had not just brought a football match to Houston; they had brought with them a tradition that has been uniting people for more than two decades – and which, for one day, transformed an entire city into a sea of orange.