New Zealand’s top striker Chris Wood will lead the All Whites as captain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America this June.
Coach Darren Bazeley has named a 26-player squad that will face Iran, Egypt, and Belgium in the group stage. The matches will be played in Los Angeles and Vancouver.
Wood, 34, plays for Nottingham Forest in England and has scored 45 goals in 88 appearances for New Zealand. He is one of only two players in the squad who was also at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the last time the All Whites qualified. The other is defender Tommy Smith.
Veteran winger Kosta Barbarouses is also included after missing out on the 2010 trip as a reserve. Several Auckland FC players have earned spots too, including goalkeeper Michael Woud, Jesse Randall, and Callan Elliott.
Bazeley said choosing the squad from 55 players in contention was “really challenging.” Some well-known names missed out, including Wellington Phoenix players Bill Tuiloma, Logan Rogerson, and Andre de Jong.
The youngest and least experienced player in the squad is Lachlan Bayliss from the Newcastle Jets, with just two caps to his name.
Before the World Cup begins, the All Whites will play two warm-up games in Florida. They take on Haiti on 3 June and then face England on 7 June.
Their World Cup campaign kicks off on 16 June against Iran in Los Angeles, followed by Egypt in Vancouver on 22 June, and Belgium on 27 June.
Qualifying for a World Cup for the first time since 2010, this is a huge moment for New Zealand football.
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