16 years on from their memorable unbeaten run at FIFA World Cup 2010™ in South Africa, New Zealand are just days away from returning to the world stage, with a new cast of characters ready to make their mark.
For some, including their captain, injury has halted their preparation for the event in North America, but head coach Darren Bazeley now has everyone fit at the right time, and ready to embrace the challenges of Iran, Egypt, and Belgium in Group G.
A first win at a FIFA World Cup™ is the target for this New Zealand side, and here are five players looking to make that happen when the action kicks off for the All Whites on June 16 against Iran in Los Angeles.
Chris Wood
Age: 34
Position: Striker
Club: Nottingham Forest (England)
Chris Wood is the star of the All Whites FIFA World Cup 2026™ squad and will follow in the footsteps of Steve Sumner and Ryan Nelson as the third man to captain New Zealand at a World Cup this month.
Wood is his nation’s all-time top goalscorer with 45 goals, and also recently surpassed Ivan Vicelich during the All Whites World Cup warm-up fixture with Haiti as New Zealand’s all-time appearance-holder with 89 international caps. He is also one of two players in the squad, alongside Tommy Smith, to have featured for New Zealand at their last World Cup appearances in 2010.
He has played 12 seasons in the English Premier League and is also Nottingham Forest’s all-time top goalscorer – having also had stints at Newcastle United, Leicester City, Burnley, Leeds, and Brighton & Hove Albion.
A knee injury has disrupted his lead-up to the global finals, but his experience up top is invaluable, and the striker seems fit to lead the line for Bazeley’s side in North America.
Tim Payne
Age: 32
Position: Right Back
Club: Wellington Phoenix (New Zealand)
Wood may be the star, but it’s Tim Payne who has arguably stolen the limelight in the build-up to FIFA World Cup 2026™, turning into a viral social media sensation overnight after being named the ‘least known player of the World Cup’ by popular Argentina influencer El Carso.
His social media following has grown to over 5 million on Instagram, double that of the All Blacks, traditionally New Zealand’s most well-supported sports team, and 50 times more than his captain Chris Wood.
On the field, Payne is coming off a difficult season with the Wellington Phoenix, of which he was sidelined for close to three months with a broken collarbone and hamstring issues. He has recovered in time to put those injury concerns behind him though, and recently brought up his 50th international cap for the All Whites in their FIFA Series win over Chile.
Right back has been a problem position for New Zealand over the last decade, but Payne has nailed down the spot ahead of Callan Elliot and Bill Tuiloma, and will now also have the gaze of a global audience thanks to his newfound fame.
Marko Stamenic
Age: 24
Position: Central Midfield
Club: Swansea City AFC (Wales)
Marko Stamenic has cemented himself as a key player in midfield for New Zealand during the FIFA World Cup 2026™ cycle, starting in 36 of his 38 international appearances since making his full senior debut in 2021.
Born to a Serbian father and a Samoan mother in Wellington, Stamenic made the move to Europe at just 18 years of age following an impressive set of performances for the Junior All Whites at FIFA U-17 World Cup 2019™ in Brazil.
He’s since gone on to become just the second New Zealand player to appear in a UEFA Champions League match, joining esteemed company in former Oceania Player of the Century, Wynton Rufer. Stamenic has also played for FC Copenhagen in Denmark, Red Star Belgrade in Serbia, Olympiacos in Greece, and now plays for famous Welsh club Swansea City AFC in the English Championship.
Should everyone be fit in time for the World Cup opener against Iran, Stamenic is likely to line-up alongside Joe Bell in the double pivot positions in central midfield. His physicality and ball control will prove invaluable to the All Whites fortunes.
Alex Paulsen
Age: 23
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: Lechia Gdansk (Poland)
The fight for who starts between the sticks for New Zealand at the World Cup remains hotly contested between Max Crocombe and Alex Paulsen, but it’s the latter, Paulsen, who’s attracted the majority of the media attention back home during his playing career.
His performances for two of New Zealand’s three professional clubs have made him a fan favorite, leading both the Wellington Phoenix and Auckland FC to the semi-finals of the A-League Men’s competition.
Those successful campaigns caught the eye of English Premier League club Bournemouth, who sent him out on loan to Lechia Gdansk in the top level of the Polish football this season.
He’s made just seven international appearances for New Zealand, but started in two of their lead-in games against Chile and Haiti, and is valued for his ability on the ball when playing out from the back.
Liberato Cacace
Age: 25
Position: Left Back
Club: Wrexham (Wales)
Another to have had his preparation disrupted by injury, calf issues have sidelined Liberato Cacace for parts of the last 12 months, at a time when the left-back made the headline move to Ryan Reynolds-backed Wrexham AFC in the English Championship.
Cacace managed just 12 appearances for the Welsh club this season as such, also missing four international camps and eight games for the All Whites in the lead-up to the World Cup.
The captain of the New Zealand side who lifted a record-extending sixth OFC Men’s Nations Cup title in 2024, Cacace has 33 international caps to his name, and Bazeley’s first-choice selection at left-back.
The form of Francis De Vries and Ben Old have applied pressure on his position in his absence, but Cacace started New Zealand’s first FIFA World Cup warm-up game against England, and brings valuable quality to the side.
New Zealand’s FIFA World Cup 2026™ Schedule:
Iran vs New Zealand | Los Angeles Stadium, USA | Monday June 15, 6pm local time (June 16, 1pm NZT)
New Zealand vs Egypt | BC Place Vancouver, Canada |Sunday June 21, 6pm (Monday June 22, 1pm NZT)
New Zealand vs Belgium | BC Place Vancouver, Canada | Friday June 26, 8pm (Saturday June 27, 3pm NZ time)