New Zealand at the 2026 FIFA World Cup

All Whites compete in Group G at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. OFC qualifier.

#28
Draw slot
G
Group
OFC
Confederation
0
WC Appearances
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New Zealand's outlook at the 2026 FIFA World Cup

At #28 in the Draw sloting, New Zealand will look to advance from the group and then play a free-swinging knockout match where anything can happen.

Group G is one of the tightest groups in the draw — the FIFA-rank spread between top and bottom is only 3 places. Every group fixture has meaningful implications for advancement.

The 2026 tournament uses an expanded 48-team, 12-group format with a new Round of 32. That changes the maths for New Zealand: the top two from each group plus the eight best third-placed teams advance, so even a third-place finish in Group G is often enough to reach the knockouts. The first New Zealand match of the World Cup is scheduled for Monday, June 15 against IR Iran at SoFi Stadium.

Group G draw analysis

Draw sloting, confederation, and last-appearance finish for every team New Zealand face in Group G.

TeamDraw slotConfederation
New Zealand (this page)#28OFC
Belgium#25UEFA
Egypt#26CAF
IR Iran#27AFC

Players to watch

Get every player's stats - goals, assists, cards, minutes, xG - via the player stats endpoint for competition_id=comp_6107.

New Zealand World Cup history

New Zealand have appeared at 0 previous FIFA World Cups. Their best finish remains To be confirmed. Across the last five tournaments they recorded: To be confirmed.

Best finish
To be confirmed
Last 5 World Cups
To be confirmed
Total appearances
0 World Cups

Get New Zealand data via API

JavaScript
// Fetch New Zealand World Cup 2026 matches
const response = await fetch(
  'https://api.thestatsapi.com/api/football/matches?competition_id=comp_6107&team=new-zealand',
  { headers: { 'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY' } }
);
const { data } = await response.json();

Frequently Asked Questions

What group is New Zealand in at the 2026 World Cup?

New Zealand is in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt, IR Iran. The average opponent FIFA ranking in Group G is #26.

Who is New Zealand's manager at the 2026 World Cup?

To be confirmed manages New Zealand at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with To be confirmed as captain.

What is New Zealand's best World Cup finish?

New Zealand's best FIFA World Cup finish is To be confirmed. They have appeared in 0 previous World Cup tournaments. Recent form: To be confirmed.

Who are New Zealand's key players at the 2026 World Cup?

Captain To be confirmed leads a squad whose standout names include . The full 26-player squad is named approximately one week before the opening match.

How did New Zealand qualify for the 2026 World Cup?

OFC qualifier. They came through the OFC qualifying pathway.

What is New Zealand's current Draw sloting?

New Zealand are seeded #28 in the world by FIFA at the time of the 2026 World Cup draw. At #28 in the Draw sloting, New Zealand will look to advance from the group and then play a free-swinging knockout match where anything can happen.

What are New Zealand's chances of winning the 2026 World Cup?

Group G is one of the tightest groups in the draw — the FIFA-rank spread between top and bottom is only 3 places. Every group fixture has meaningful implications for advancement. At #28 in the Draw sloting, New Zealand will look to advance from the group and then play a free-swinging knockout match where anything can happen.

How can I get New Zealand fixtures and stats via API?

Use TheStatsAPI matches endpoint with competition_id=comp_6107 and filter by team_id to get all New Zealand World Cup 2026 fixtures, lineups, live scores, in-play events, xG, and player-level stats. The same endpoint also returns historical World Cup data for New Zealand going back to their first tournament.

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