The All Whites are going to the 2026 FIFA World Cup next year in the United States, Mexico and Canada after a triumphant finals weekend in the Oceania Football Confederation qualifiers.
On Friday night, they gave fans in Wellington a special treat, as they thrashed Fiji 7-0 at the semi-final stage. On Monday, a few nails were chewed, but eventually the All Whites came through with a comfortable 3-0 win to book their place among the elite at next year's competition.
It's a huge result for New Zealand's men, and puts them in just a third World Cup, following on from 1982 in Spain and 2010 in South Africa.
So what did we learn from these two fixtures?
Squad goals
Kosta Barbarouses scores the second goal, New Zealand All Whites v New Caledonia, FIFA World Cup 2026 -OFC Qualifiers Final at Eden Park, Auckland. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
At 0-0, with the talismanic Chris Wood hobbling off-field, an anxious hum filled Eden Park on Monday night. Losing a star player like this may have spelled disaster for past All Whites units but this current incarnation has a potentially unprecedented strength in depth.
Kosta Barbarouses, Francis de Vries and Eli Just all had a major impact on the New Caledonia game after entering from the bench. Left-back de Vries assisted Michael Boxall's opener, Barbarouses grabbed the second while the trio combined as Just scored the third.
Head coach Darren Bazeley had competent replacements across the entire field watching from the sidelines with the likes Alex Paulsen, Nando Pijnaker, Tommy Smith, Storm Roux, Jesse Randall - all chomping at the bit. With Finn Surman, Ben Old, Bill Tuiloma and Ryan Thomas not even in the squad this is a talent pool which presents welcome selection dilemmas, not comfortable certainties.
Match fit or misfit
New Zealand's Liberato Cacace, New Zealand All Whites v New Caledonia, FIFA World Cup 2026 -OFC Qualifiers Final at Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand on Monday 24 March 2025. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
Across the two games, it was clear which players are currently regulars at club level. Cacace, Wood, Sarpreet Singh, Tyler Bindon all inspired at times. Others did not live up to their ability.
Matt Garbett struggled to make an impact against Fiji and was pulled off at half-time against New Caledonia. He has been persona non grata at his Dutch side NAC Breda since December and that lack of match sharpness showed. Ben Waine is another. Out of the picture at Mansfield Town, he dragged a poor penalty kick wide at Sky Stadium. Even Marko Stamenic, who played well across both fixtures, did not reach the high ceiling he is capable of - perhaps a knock-on impact of his bit-part role at Olympiakos.
Cacace is perhaps the best example of what playing regularly can do for you. He's now a first-team fixture at Serie A side Empoli and has never looked better in a New Zealand shirt. Going into next year's World Cup, the players in this All Whites squad need to ensure they are playing regularly or risk being left on the tarmac.
Interim to inspired
New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley speaks to players after the match. Photo: Trevor Ruszkowski / www.photosport.nz
As the big judoka hands of New Zealand Football CEO Andrew Pragnell patted Bazeley on the chest in celebration, it was a justified touch of appreciation for the All Whites manager who has proven himself the right man for the job.
Because his appointment was not straightforward. The recruitment process to replace Danny Hay was a mess. At one point, then Canada boss John Herdman was reportedly in line to take the job only for him to reiterate his commitment to the Great White North almost immediately. Eventually, Bazeley got the role permanently in July 2023 and he completed his task of taking the All Whites to a World Cup.
He made some great decisions in the New Caledonia clash. Bringing on de Vries to capitalise on the prolificacy of corners being given away. Making a double change at half-time showed his decisiveness. Barbarouses was the perfect man to come on for Wood and stretch a solid back-line. He also backed Tim Payne despite club difficulties, with fantastic results whilst a bold goalkeeping decision to go with Max Crocombe has been rewarded.
Job done and impressive results against Malaysia and the United States in friendly matches - not to mention an OFC Nations Cup triumph - are also well-earned feathers in his cap.
Bindon's breakout
Tyler Bindon. FIFA World Cup 2026 - OFC Qualifiers, Final, New Caledonia v New Zealand, Eden Park. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / www.photosport.nz
Ryan Nelsen, Winston Reid … Tyler Bindon? It seems New Zealand have yet another centre-back ready to become a defensive staple for the All Whites.
He was sensationally smooth in both games, with an ability to read the game allied by his physical prowess, it's no wonder Premier League high-flyers Nottingham Forest snapped him up from Reading in January.
He's also a goal-threat from New Zealand's potentially prolific set-piece situations and at just 20-years-old, he will undoubtedly add multitudes to his current 14-cap tally.
Wood's legacy in the making
Chris Wood. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
What more can you say about New Zealand's captain? Chris Wood's hat-trick of headers inspired them to the 7-0 win over Fiji while he looked desperate to continue against New Caledonia despite a clearly debilitating hip injury. He even got himself a yellow card for going armed into the Wellington crowd with a Sharpie and making the day for a few young supporters in attendance.
He never turns his back on his country and with 82 caps and 44 goals, he looks certain to eventually join a select group of players with 100 games and 50 goals for their country.
A picnic into a perilous path
Probably the best way to end a what we learned article is with a point highlighting how - in regard to the actual World Cup next year - we learned very little.
Other than a testing opening 45 minutes against New Caledonia this qualifying campaign was money for old rope for the All Whites. The gulf between New Zealand and the other OFC nations has been exacerbated to a chasm in recent years, as evident by the All Whites last 15 games against federation rivals: 14 wins, one draw, four goals conceded and 64 goals scored.
With the world's best awaiting in North America next year, New Zealand will have to switch to a more defensive style and figure out a way to break down some of the best defences on the planet to have any success.
