New Zealand at the FIFA World Cup 2026

History

New Zealand have appeared at the FIFA World Cup three times: 1982, 2010, and 2026. At Spain 1982, the All Whites lost all three group matches, conceding 12 goals against Scotland, the Soviet Union, and Brazil. Their finest tournament came in South Africa 2010, where they drew all three group matches - including a 1-1 result against defending champions Italy - finishing third in their group and becoming the only unbeaten nation at that tournament, though they were nonetheless eliminated in the group stage. New Zealand have never won the World Cup and have never advanced beyond the group stage. In OFC competition they are six-time OFC Nations Cup champions (1973, 1998, 2002, 2008, 2016, 2024).

Qualification

New Zealand qualified for the 2026 World Cup as OFC zone winners, the confederation's direct allocation slot in the expanded 48-team tournament. The OFC qualifying process ran from September 2024 to March 2025. New Zealand dominated Group B of the OFC qualifiers, winning all three matches against Tahiti, Vanuatu, and Samoa. In the Stage 3 final held at Sky Stadium in Wellington on March 21, 2025, New Zealand defeated New Caledonia 3-0 to clinch qualification. The expanded World Cup format means the OFC now receives a guaranteed direct berth for the first time, ending the confederation's previous requirement for an inter-continental play-off.

Preparation

New Zealand's 2026 World Cup campaign ended on June 26 with a 1-5 defeat by Belgium at BC Place, Vancouver. Trossard (28', 50'), De Bruyne (66'), Lukaku (86') and Saelemaekers (90+4') scored for Belgium; Eli Just (84') replied with a spectacular volley past Courtois. The All Whites finished bottom of Group G on one point (1D, 2L), with Belgium and Egypt advancing. Bazeley reflected that 'our World Cup exit isn't really [against Belgium]... it was when we're leading twice against Iran.' He praised Just (3 WC goals) and Surman (scored v Egypt) as standouts, and called on more NZ players to reach top European clubs alongside Chris Wood. 'So many of these guys will be back.'

Latest news

All Whites to play two-match series against India in Auckland and Christchurch in November

· general

New Zealand play India on November 12 at Go Media Stadium, Auckland, and November 15 at One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch, that venue's first football fixture. The games mark the team's return home after the World Cup, part of '100 Years of Unity Through Sport'. Bazeley: 'brilliant to see the fans supporting us... great to bring the players home for two big games in front of Kiwi crowds.'

Bazeley: 'Our World Cup exit was against Iran, not Belgium'; calls for more All Whites in top European leagues

· general

In his post-tournament debrief, coach Darren Bazeley said elimination came from letting two leads slip against Iran. He praised Eli Just (3 goals, volley v Belgium) and Finn Surman (goal v Egypt), and urged more NZ players into top European leagues: 'We're still playing against teams full of Premier League, Serie A, La Liga players.' He stayed optimistic: 'So many of these guys will be back.'

All Whites eliminated after 1-5 defeat by Belgium; Just scores spectacular volley as consolation

· matches

New Zealand lost 5-1 to Belgium at BC Place, Vancouver, bottom of Group G on one point. Trossard scored twice (28', 50'); De Bruyne (66'), Lukaku (86') and Saelemaekers (90+4') scored. Eli Just's volley past Courtois (84'), NZL's only goal. VAR overturned a Surman handball claim. Belgium won Group G, Egypt second. Bazeley: 'For us to win at a World Cup, we need to be consistent in every moment.'

All Whites point to World Cup upsets and good camp vibe as reason to believe against Belgium

· general

Ahead of the must-win Belgium decider, Bazeley cited World Cup upsets - 'Germany get beaten by Ecuador' - to frame it as winnable. Defender Liberato Cacace said 'the vibe is very good around the camp' and the squad had trained well. Bazeley acknowledged the standard: 'We need to be flawless. We can't make a mistake' given Belgium's quality. Belgium also had only two points, urgency for both.

All Whites 'optimistic' ahead of must-win Belgium clash; Bell says 'we came to play knockout football'

· general

Joe Bell said the squad is 'very positive, optimistic' ahead of the Belgium decider. Bell: 'We came to play knockout football, and that's kind of what we got now.' He pointed to first-half performances against Iran and Egypt: 'It's about progressing that slightly further.' A win secures New Zealand in the knockout round or keeps them in contention as a third-placed team.

Crunching the numbers: All Whites need Belgium win; draw path 'theoretical' only

· general

RNZ analysis of New Zealand's qualification scenarios: a win over Belgium gives 4 points and likely automatic second place in Group G, or at minimum a strong third-place claim depending on other results. A draw leaves a near-impossible path requiring Iran to lose heavily to Egypt plus a host of other third-place results to fall right. A loss eliminates New Zealand.

All Whites processed 'different emotions' after Egypt defeat before focusing on Belgium

· general

Bazeley held a squad review after the Egypt loss where players showed 'plenty of accountability' before refocusing on Belgium. He also confronted referee Omar Al-Ali over the non-call when Ben Old went down before Salah's 67th-minute goal: 'The referee should stop the throw-in. He should have stopped the game to check on Ben, rather than letting them play on.'

Dejected All Whites have one last chance to make history against Belgium

· general

After losing 1-3 to Egypt, New Zealand are bottom of Group G with one point and need a win against Belgium on June 26 in Vancouver. Bazeley: 'Can we take the best parts of our Iran performance and turn it into a historic moment for the country?' He noted an uncalled foul on sub Ben Old contributed to an Egypt goal. Belgium have only drawn so far.

All Whites lose 1-3 to Egypt after historic halftime lead collapses

· matches

NZL led 1-0 at halftime via Surman 15' (Payne corner) - first halftime WC lead for the All Whites. Egypt scored three second-half goals: Zico 58', Salah 67' (68th international goal, Zico back-heel assist), Trezeguet 82' (set piece header). Bazeley: 'We were so good in the first half.' Surman: 'We let them into the game a little too much.' NZL must beat Belgium June 26 to advance.

All Whites eye improvement ahead of Egypt clash; assistant coach says 'there's more in us'

· general

Assistant coach Simon Elliott said the squad felt 'pretty relaxed' and there was 'more in us' after the 2-2 draw with Iran, ahead of the Group G match against Egypt at BC Place in Vancouver. Elliott said the plan against Mohamed Salah was to 'keep the ball and do what we do when we have it' rather than targeting individuals. Both teams seek their first win.

Sarpreet Singh becomes first Sikh player to appear at a FIFA World Cup

· general

Sarpreet Singh, 27, made history as the first Sikh player to compete in a FIFA World Cup when he took the field in New Zealand's 2-2 draw with Iran on June 15. Singh said: 'It means a lot to me, it means a lot to my people, my family, my community.' He expressed hope the achievement would pave the way for more Sikh and South Asian heritage players in international football.

Tim Payne's transfer to Club Olimpia Paraguay confirmed after social media viral moment

· general

Wellington Phoenix accepted an undisclosed fee from Club Olimpia (Paraguay) for defender Tim Payne, subject to a medical after the World Cup. Payne went viral in June; his Instagram following grew to 5.8 million after an Argentine influencer's campaign. Fabrizio Romano reported a verbal agreement was in place. Payne called it 'something special', noting his partner has Latin American heritage.

Tyler and Jenny Bindon become first mother-son duo to appear at the FIFA World Cup

· general

Tyler Bindon, 21, came off the bench late in New Zealand's 2-2 draw with Iran on June 15, while his mother Jenny Bindon made 77 appearances in goal for the New Zealand women's team, appearing at the Women's World Cups of 2007 and 2011 and the Olympics in 2008 and 2012. The pair are the first mother and son to have both appeared at their respective World Cups.

Logan Rogerson called up from Bali holiday to replace injured Matt Garbett

· squad

Matt Garbett (Peterborough United) was ruled out of the tournament with a hamstring injury suffered in training two days before the Iran opener. Auckland FC forward Logan Rogerson, cut from the original squad, received a 1am call from coach Bazeley while on holiday in Bali and flew out immediately. Available from Matchday 2.

All Whites draw 2-2 with Iran in World Cup opener as Eli Just scores historic brace

· matches

New Zealand twice led Iran and twice were pegged back at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood (att. 70,108). Eli Just scored in the 7th and 54th minutes (both assisted by Chris Wood), becoming the first All White to score twice in a single World Cup match. Iran equalised through Rezaeian (32') and Mohebbi (64'). Ryan Thomas came on as sub. All four Group G sides level on one point.

All Whites settle into San Diego base with intra-squad games ahead of Iran opener

· general

The squad is based at the University of San Diego's Torero Stadium, holding intra-squad training games as final preparation ahead of the June 15 Iran opener in Los Angeles. A large crowd attended Thursday's session. Joe Bell praised the surroundings: 'It's been nice to get down to the beaches.' Tommy Smith called being part of the squad 'really exciting with the talent we've got.'

Bazeley backs squad depth to handle World Cup disruptions; seven or eight players may not feature

· general

Bazeley says the All Whites are prepared for unpredictable disruptions at the World Cup, from injuries to red cards and weather. He expects seven or eight squad members will not play during the tournament, but is confident positional versatility means they can cover losing a couple of players. Bazeley said 'ultimately mindset and heart' would be the difference for New Zealand.

All 26 All Whites train together in San Diego; Bazeley to name Iran XI on June 12

· general

All 26 players trained on Tuesday (San Diego time), the first full-group session since assembling two weeks earlier. Bazeley will name his XI on June 12, three days before the Iran opener, with about 80% settled and three or four spots open. Crocombe is slightly ahead of Paulsen in goal. The squad, based in La Jolla, trains at the University of San Diego's Torero Stadium inside the FIFA bubble.

Bell and Elliot clear injuries to join full training; Thomas back but a bench option for Iran

· injuries

Joe Bell (calf) and Callan Elliot (head knock) both came through Tuesday's full training session in San Diego, clearing their respective issues. Ryan Thomas has recovered enough from his hamstring strain to take part in training but is realistically only a bench option for the World Cup opener against Iran rather than a starter.

All Whites end warm-ups with 1-0 loss to England as Kane heads decisive goal

· matches

New Zealand lost their final pre-World Cup warm-up 1-0 to England at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, in 33C heat. Harry Kane headed the only goal in first-half stoppage time, assisted by Djed Spence. The All Whites defended resiliently: Finn Surman was outstanding and Matt Garbett forced a full-length save from Jordan Pickford. Bazeley felt the side improved on the Haiti loss.

Bell returns to start against England; Thomas 'ahead of schedule' but a doubt for Iran

· injuries

Joe Bell recovered from his calf problem to start against England, playing the first half before Alex Rufer replaced him at the break. Ryan Thomas remains out with the hamstring strain he picked up about five weeks ago at PEC Zwolle but says he is 'ahead of schedule', training in managed minutes and taking it day by day; he is hopeful of some role against Iran, though a start looks unlikely.

Warm-ups over, All Whites switch focus and move to San Diego base; keeper battle continues

· general

With both Florida warm-ups complete (4-0 to Haiti, 1-0 to England), Darren Bazeley said most World Cup teams prepare similarly and the squad will now relocate to its San Diego base before the Group G opener against Iran. A starting goalkeeper battle continues between Max Crocombe and Alex Paulsen, whom Bazeley rated as two 'pretty special' performers.

All Whites lose 4-0 to Haiti in first World Cup warm-up; Wood passes appearance record

· matches

New Zealand lost their first pre-World Cup friendly 4-0 to Haiti at Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, after a lightning delay. Haiti scored via Providence (12'), Joseph (51'), Pierrot (62') and Lacroix (87'), three from defensive errors. Captain Chris Wood started for his 89th cap, passing Ivan Vicelich's All Whites appearance record. Bazeley rotated heavily at halftime; England next.

Thomas and Bell managed for muscle issues; both to miss Haiti warm-up

· injuries

Midfielders Ryan Thomas (hamstring) and Joe Bell (calf) are being managed at the Florida camp. Thomas misses both warm-ups against Haiti and England; Bell misses Haiti but is set to face England. Coach Bazeley is confident both will be fit for the World Cup opener against Iran. Alex Rufer, Marko Stamenic and debutant Lachlan Bayliss are in line to anchor midfield against Haiti.

All Whites hold first full training session at Florida World Cup camp

· matches

The All Whites trained together as a full squad for the first time in Florida ahead of the World Cup. It was a deliberately light session to shake off lingering jet lag and acclimatise to the heat before building towards the warm-up friendly against Haiti. The Florida camp precedes a move to the team's official base in San Diego.

Squad

PlayerPositionClub
Max CrocombeGKMillwall
Alex PaulsenGKLechia Gdansk
Michael WoudGKAuckland FC
Tim PayneDFWellington Phoenix
Francis De VriesDFAuckland FC
Tyler BindonDFNottingham Forest
Michael BoxallDFMinnesota United
Liberato CacaceDFWrexham
Nando PijnakerDFAuckland FC
Finn SurmanDFPortland Timbers
Callan ElliotDFAuckland FC
Tommy SmithDFBraintree Town
Joe BellMFViking FK
Marko StamenicMFSwansea City
Sarpreet SinghMFWellington Phoenix
Alex RuferMFWellington Phoenix
Ryan ThomasMFPEC Zwolle
Logan RogersonFWAuckland FC
Lachlan BaylissMFNewcastle Jets
Chris WoodFWNottingham Forest
Kosta BarbarousesFWWestern Sydney Wanderers
Eli JustFWMotherwell
Ben WaineFWPort Vale
Ben OldFWSaint-Etienne
Callum McCowattFWSilkeborg IF
Jesse RandallFWAuckland FC

Recent results

  • 2024-09-07 — MEX 3-0 NZL (friendly)
  • 2024-09-10 — USA 1-1 NZL (friendly)
  • 2024-10-11 — NZL 3-0 TAH (qualification)
  • 2024-10-14 — NZL 4-0 MAS (friendly)
  • 2024-11-15 — NZL 8-1 VAN (qualification)
  • 2024-11-18 — NZL 8-0 SAM (qualification)
  • 2025-03-21 — NZL 7-0 FIJ (qualification)
  • 2025-03-24 — NZL 3-0 NCL (qualification)
  • 2025-10-09 — POL 1-0 NZL (friendly)
  • 2025-10-14 — NOR 1-1 NZL (friendly)
  • 2025-11-15 — COL 2-1 NZL (friendly)
  • 2025-11-18 — ECU 2-0 NZL (friendly)
  • 2026-06-02 — NZL 0-4 HAI (friendly)
  • 2026-06-06 — ENG 1-0 NZL (friendly)
  • 2026-06-15 — IRN 2-2 NZL (friendly)
  • 2026-06-21 — NZL 1-3 EGY (group)
  • 2026-06-26 — NZL 1-5 BEL (group)

View Group G →