New Zealand qualify for 2026 FIFA World Cup

New Zealand have secured a berth at the 2026 World Cup as they prepare to return to the tournament for the first time in 16 years. The All Whites had their work cut out in the final of the OFC World Cup qualifiers against New Caledonia, with the first half goalless.

They were then rocked by captain Chris Wood being forced off when the Nottingham Forest star picked up a hip injury early in the second period. Wood has been in fantastic form this season, having scored 18 goals in the Premier League this season. He also scored a hattrick in his country’s previous game, which was a 7-0 win against Fiji.

New Zealand’s journey

Michael Boxall finally broke the deadlock just past the hour mark and Kosta Barbarouses soon doubled his team’s lead. Elijah Just then scored the third and final goal in the 80th minute to seal a World Cup place. It will only be New Zealand’s third World Cup appearance in 2026 in North America as they return to the showpiece event after a gap of 16 years. Their last appearance was in South Africa in 2010, where they finished third in the group.

New Zealand drew all of their games including an impressive performance against then-defending champions Italy. The All Whites greatly benefitted from FIFA’s decision to grant nations from the Oceania Confederation a guaranteed spot at the World Cup from the 2026 edition.

Additionally, from the AFC, Japan have also qualified making these two teams the first to qualify for the World Cup apart from the host nations.