New Zealand announces World Cup roster, led by Chris Wood
2 sources • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 4, 2026, 11:01 PM
Last updated Jun 4, 2026
New Zealand's national soccer team has finalized their roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, aiming to advance to the knockout stage for the first time. The squad features 26 players, including captain Chris Wood of Nottingham Forest, who hopes to lead his team to a historic victory. New Zealand has only qualified for the World Cup finals twice before and has never won a match in the tournament. The All Whites will face stiff competition in Group G, with high expectations riding on their performance in North America this summer.
- •New Zealand is competing in the World Cup finals for the third time.
- •Chris Wood has been recovering from an injury but remains a key player.
- •Darren Bazeley is the head coach of the All Whites.
- •New Zealand players include participants from various leagues in England and Australia.
- •The team aims for its best performance in World Cup history.
- 11:01 PMThe Guardian Sport — New Zealand World Cup 2026 team guide
- 6:00 AMYahoo Sports — Inside New Zealand's World Cup roster 2026: Chris Wood leads All Whites squad aiming for best ever FIFA finals
"Despite being the lowest-ranked team at the tournament, All Whites are hoping Chris Wood can help fire them to a first appearance in the knockout rounds This article is part of the Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from three countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 11 June. Continue reading...
"New Zealand are aiming to reach the World Cup knockout phase for the first time in North America.
Sources
External links- The Guardian SportJun 4, 2026, 11:01 PMNew Zealand World Cup 2026 team guide
Despite being the lowest-ranked team at the tournament, All Whites are hoping Chris Wood can help fire them to a first appearance in the knockout rounds This article is part of the Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from three countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 11 June. Continue reading...
- Yahoo SportsJun 2, 2026, 6:00 AMInside New Zealand's World Cup roster 2026: Chris Wood leads All Whites squad aiming for best ever FIFA finals
New Zealand are aiming to reach the World Cup knockout phase for the first time in North America.
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