New Zealand at the World Cup 2026
New Zealand arrive at the 2026 World Cup ending a 16-year absence — their last tournament was South Africa 2010, where they drew all three group games but were eliminated on goal difference. Darren Bazeley, the English head coach appointed in 2023, has built the squad around captain Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest) — Premier League-experienced and the squad's defining attacker.
The defensive structure is the All Whites' tournament weapon. Goalkeeper Alex Paulsen (Bournemouth) leads a back-five system that emphasises compact shape and aerial threats from set-pieces — Chris Wood being the principal target. Tommy Smith and Michael Boxall anchor the centre-back pairing.
Marko Stamenić (Olympiacos) is the central midfielder; Liberato Cacace (Empoli) provides left-sided width. The CONCACAF and Oceanic players' geographical spread is a logistical feature — eight of the 26-man squad are based in Australasia, the rest in Europe.
Group G contains Belgium, Egypt and Iran. New Zealand are the heavy outsiders at 7.50. The realistic ceiling is one credible draw — most likely the 2010-style 0-0 against a tournament side that doesn't quite respect them. Outright tournament price 1001.0.
Outright odds — New Zealand to win World Cup 2026
Group G fixtures
All three group-stage matches for New Zealand at World Cup 2026 with current odds from our partner books.
Squad & predicted XI
Paulsen · Boxall, Boyens, Reid, Cacace, Garbett · Stamenić, McGree, Bell, Just · Wood (c)
Formation: 5-4-1 · Coach: Darren Bazeley
| Player | Position | Club | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Paulsen | GK | Bournemouth | 18 | 0 |
| Michael Boxall | DF | Minnesota United | 70 | 4 |
| Winston Reid | DF | retired | 30 | 1 |
| Tommy Smith | DF | Auckland FC | 60 | 4 |
| Liberato Cacace | DF | Empoli | 30 | 3 |
| Marko Stamenić | MF | Olympiacos | 18 | 2 |
| Joe Bell | MF | Sturm Graz | 28 | 1 |
| Matthew Garbett | MF | Auckland FC | 18 | 1 |
| Elijah Just | FW | FC Helsingør | 20 | 3 |
| Chris Wood (c) | FW | Nottingham Forest | 80 | 41 |
How New Zealand qualified for World Cup 2026
New Zealand qualified directly through OFC qualifying — the only OFC nation to receive an automatic World Cup spot under the 2026 expanded-tournament rules. They won the 2024 OFC Nations Cup (which doubled as the qualifying tournament) by beating Vanuatu 3-0 in the final, with Wood scoring twice.
Across the entirety of the OFC qualifying campaign, New Zealand scored 19 goals and conceded none — making them the only nation in the entire 2026 qualifying cycle (across all confederations) to record zero goals conceded. The defensive discipline that the structural feature.
World Cup history
New Zealand have appeared at two previous World Cups (1982, 2010). At Spain 1982, they lost all three group games. At South Africa 2010, they drew all three group games unbeaten on points — 1-1 with Slovakia, 1-1 with Italy (the defending champions!), 0-0 with Paraguay — but were eliminated on goal difference, finishing third in their group. The 2010 unbeaten campaign remains one of the most remarkable group-stage exits in World Cup history.
| Year | Host | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Spain | Group stage |
| 2010 | South Africa | Group stage |
| Player | Position | Club | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Wood | FW | Nottingham Forest | 80 | 41 |
| Vaughan Coveny | FW | retired | 64 | 28 |
| Steve Sumner | MF | retired | 58 | 22 |
| Wynton Rufer | FW | retired | 23 | 12 |
| Steven Old | DF | retired | 45 | 0 |
| Ivan Vicelich | MF | retired | 88 | 7 |
FAQ
When did New Zealand last appear at the World Cup?
South Africa 2010 — a 16-year absence. They famously drew all three group matches there (1-1 Slovakia, 1-1 with defending champions Italy, 0-0 with Paraguay) but were eliminated on goal difference.
Who is New Zealand's coach at World Cup 2026?
Darren Bazeley, the English head coach appointed in 2023. He previously had assistant roles at the New Zealand setup before stepping up.
Is Chris Wood in New Zealand's 2026 squad?
Yes — as captain. Wood, 33, plays his club football at Nottingham Forest and is Premier League-experienced (career: Leicester, Burnley, Newcastle, Forest). He is New Zealand's all-time top scorer with 41 goals from 80 caps.
Has New Zealand ever won a World Cup match?
No. New Zealand have played six World Cup matches across two tournaments (Spain 1982 and South Africa 2010) and produced three losses and three draws. The most-respected result was the 1-1 draw with reigning champions Italy at Nelspruit in 2010.
What group is New Zealand in at World Cup 2026?
Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and Iran. They are the heavy outsiders. New Zealand open against Iran at SoFi Stadium Los Angeles on 15 June, face Egypt on 21 June (MD2), and conclude against Belgium.