NZ carry Oceania hopes into biggest-ever FIFA World Cup: Everything you need to know

For decades, Oceania's road to the FIFA World Cup came with an extra hurdle.

Even after winning the Pacific region, teams still had to survive an intercontinental playoff to reach football's biggest stage.

That changed in 2026.

The expanded 48-team tournament has given Oceania a guaranteed World Cup place for the first time, sending the All Whites directly to North America and offering Pacific football its strongest presence yet on the global stage.

And before anyone asks: yes, Australia is geographically part of Oceania but the Socceroos have competed in the Asian Football Confederation since 2006.

New Zealand qualified through the Oceania Football Confederation pathway and is the region's direct representative at this tournament.

When does the World Cup start?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The opening ceremony and first match take place on Friday, 12 June (NZ tme) at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City where the hosts face South Africa.

The final is scheduled for Monday, 20 July (NZT).

New Zealand players prepare for the biggest tournament of their careers as the All Whites gear up for group matches against Iran, Egypt and Belgium. Back row: Sarpreet Singh, Finn Surman, Francis de Vries, Tyler Bindon, Max Crocombe and Chris Wood. Front row: Ben Old, Ryan Thomas, Tim Payne, Elijah Just and Joe Bell. Photo/Photosport/Andrew Cornaga

Why three countries are hosting the World Cup

The United States, Canada and Mexico originally planned separate bids before joining forces under the slogan "United As One".

Their joint bid won FIFA's vote in 2018 and became the successful host proposal.

With the World Cup expanding from 32 to 48 teams and a record 104 matches, organisers say hosting duties are now too large for many countries to manage alone, making a shared tournament the most practical option.

For New Zealand fans, the key dates are:

• v Iran 1pm, Tuesday 16 June

• v Egypt 1pm, Monday 22 June

• v Belgium 3pm, Saturday 27 June

The All Whites are based in San Diego in the US but will play their group matches in Inglewood, Los Angeles, and Vancouver, Canada.

What is different this year?

This is the biggest World Cup ever staged.

• 48 teams instead of 32

• 104 matches instead of 64

• 12 groups of four teams

• A new round of 32 added to the knockout stage

The top two teams from each group and the best eight third-placed teams will advance to the knockout rounds.

All Whites coach Darren Bazeley will lead New Zealand at its third FIFA World Cup appearance as the team chases a first-ever win at the tournament. Photo/Photosport/Andrew Cornaga

Who are the All Whites facing?

New Zealand is in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and Iran.

It is a tough draw. All three opponents are ranked higher than New Zealand, which at 85th in the world is the lowest-ranked team at the tournament.

Can the All Whites make history?

New Zealand has appeared at two previous World Cups: 1982 and 2010 and is still searching for its first win at the tournament.

The closest they came was in South Africa in 2010 when they drew with Slovakia, Italy and Paraguay to finish the group stage unbeaten.

Remarkably, they were the only team at that World Cup not to lose a match but they still missed the knockout rounds.

Coach Darren Bazeley and captain Chris Wood will hope to change that in North America.

All Whites captain Chris Wood will be key to New Zealand's hopes at the FIFA World Cup, bringing experience and goalscoring form from the English Premier League. Photo/Photosport/Marius Simensen/BILDBYRÅN

Players Pacific fans should watch

Chris Wood: The All Whites captain remains Aotearoa's biggest attacking threat after a prolific run with Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League.

Liberato Cacace: A dynamic left-sided defender known for his energy and attacking runs.

Sarpreet Singh: One of the squad's most creative midfielders and a player capable of unlocking defences.

Tyler Bindon: The young centre-back is one of the rising stars of New Zealand football and will be tested against world-class forwards.

Kosta Barbarouses: An experienced attacker whose pace and movement could be crucial on the counterattack.

Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, won the 2022 FIFA World Cup against France in Qatar, and are looking to retain the title in . Photo/Photosport

Who are the favourites?

The bookmakers' favourites are:

• Spain

• France

• England

• Argentina

• Portugal

Argentina are the defending champions after winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

How can you watch it in New Zealand?

TVNZ is the official broadcaster for the FIFA World Cup in New Zealand.

All 104 matches will be streamed while all All Whites games will also be available free-to-air.

Why this World Cup matters for the Pacific

For Pacific football fans, this tournament is bigger than one team.

The new direct qualification pathway means Oceania no longer has to rely solely on playoffs against larger confederations.

It creates a clearer route for New Zealand and potentially other Pacific nations to compete regularly on the world stage in the future.

Whether the All Whites can finally claim that elusive first World Cup win remains to be seen.

But for the first time, the region arrives with a guaranteed seat at football's biggest table.

For more on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, visit https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026