New Zealand
FIFA World Cup 2026 Team Profile
Darren Bazeley
Head Coach
4-4-2
Formation
0
Titles
3
Appearances
Overview
New Zealand return to the World Cup for the first time since 2010, making only their third appearance at the tournament. The All Whites famously went unbeaten in the 2010 group stage and will be aiming for a similar result.
Road to World Cup 2026
New Zealand won the OFC qualification comfortably, beating several Pacific island nations in a series of two-legged ties.
Qualification: Tournament qualification
Key Players to Watch
- Chris Wood
- Callum McCowatt
- Stefan Marinovic
- Joe Bell
Strengths
Team spirit, physical conditioning, and a settled squad. Chris Wood's goalscoring is a major weapon.
Weaknesses
Squad depth and technical quality. The team will be among the lowest-ranked at the tournament.
World Cup 2026 Chances
A draw in the group would be a major result. New Zealand will be playing for pride and experience.
Historical World Cup Performance
Two prior appearances, with the 2010 unbeaten group-stage run as the high point. The 1982 tournament included a 4-0 win over China.
Best result: Group stage (1982, 2010, 2026)
Last World Cup: Did not qualify (2022)
Match Schedule
IR Iran vs New Zealand
New Zealand vs Egypt
New Zealand vs Belgium