New Zealand. The pre-tournament read.

New Zealand arrive at their third World Cup in 44 years — and as the only team in the field that has never lost a World Cup match. Chris Wood is the entire campaign; the 4-4-2 around him is the structural identity. Group G is the kind of draw New Zealand can manage to defend in — Belgium are the seeded test but the Golden Generation is older, Egypt is built around a single 34-year-old talisman, Iran are the deepest forward line. The pre-tournament expectation is three losses; the realistic ceiling is a draw against any of the three.

AGENT-AUTHOREDAgent-authored tournament read. Treat the framing and group outlook as editorial judgement; sourced facts are separated below.

Top three starsGROUNDED

Nottingham Forest · Centre-forward
Chris Wood
Captain. Premier League regular since 2017, 80+ top-flight goals, the all-time leading scorer for the All Whites by a margin of nearly two-to-one.
Olympiacos · Central midfield
Marko Stamenić
The post-Wood generation midfielder. New Zealand-born, Serbian-Croatian heritage, the most-rated NZ youth-product of the modern era.
Empoli · Left-back
Liberato Cacace
Serie A regular. The senior wing-back option and the player NZ's defensive shape is anchored around on the left.

Qualifying scorer sketchAGENT-AUTHORED

Agent-authored figures · needs verification before match-use.

01 Chris Wood · Nottingham Forest5 g · 5 of 6
02 Kosta Barbarouses · Wellington Phoenix2 g · 6 of 6
03 Marko Stamenić · Olympiacos2 g · 5 of 6

Road to 2026GROUNDED

8 JAN 2024
Darren Bazeley appointed head coach
Internal continuity hire from the NZ Football coaching staff.
15 NOV 2025
Qualified for the World Cup through the OFC sole-slot route
New Zealand's first World Cup since 2010. The OFC's single direct qualification slot — automatic for whichever team wins the confederation's final stage.
5 DEC 2025
Drawn into Group G with Belgium, Egypt, Iran
Belgium are the seeded test. Egypt is Salah's last cycle. Iran are the perennial AFC qualifier with Mehdi Taremi at Inter Milan. Three of the four lowest-pot draws available.

Did you knowGROUNDED

New Zealand have appeared at two previous World Cups (Spain 1982, South Africa 2010) and have one knockout-stage qualification (2010 — went out in the group stage despite drawing all three matches, the only undefeated team eliminated in the group at that tournament).
The 2026 World Cup is New Zealand's first in sixteen years. They are the only team at this tournament that has never lost a World Cup match (three draws, three losses across 1982; three draws across 2010).
Chris Wood is the All Whites' all-time leading scorer by a margin of nearly two-to-one over the second-place name. He has captained the team since 2019.
New Zealand qualified through the OFC's single direct qualification slot — the only confederation with a one-slot allocation under the expanded 48-team 2026 format.

Manager + squad

In charge since 1 JAN 2024

Darren Bazeley

English-born, longtime NZ Football staff before the senior promotion. Pragmatic 4-4-2 built around the Wood-led attack and the work-rate-and-counter identity New Zealand's senior team has carried since the 2010 World Cup.

Squad status

Provisional squad announced — final cuts pending

The rest of Group G

Belgium
Egypt
Iran

← All 12 groups