New Zealand has made one change to their 23-man squad that recorded back-to-back wins in their final group stage matches in Hamilton and Auckland in November last year.
Head Coach Darren Bazeley has included Auckland FC forward Jesse Randall, who made his debut for the All Whites at the OFC Men’s Nations Cup in 2024, for this months final stages of the FIFA World Cup 26™ Oceania Qualifiers.
“This is the business end of the competition now and we know we have a job to do in these games to see us return to the FIFA World Cup™ for the first time since 2010,” said Bazeley.
“We aren’t taking anything for granted, all of the squad are completely focused on what we want to achieve this month.
“We have been really consistent with a lot of our selections over the last year to drive cohesion in the team, so that when players arrive in camp they know what is expected, especially when we have limited time together and need to perform.”
Bazeley and the team will be banking on their home crowd advantage to get them over the line when they take on Fiji at Wellington’s Sky Stadium at 7pm NZT on Friday 21 March.
“It was brilliant to see the support we had last year, and it is exciting that we get the opportunity to fight for our place at the FIFA World Cup 26™ in front of our own fans – we hope to see as many of you in the stands as possible.”
Should the All Whites win they’ll play either New Caledonia or Tahiti at Eden Park in Auckland, on Monday 24 March in the FIFA World Cup 26™ Oceania Qualifiers final, with the winner gaining direct entry to the FIFA World Cup 26™, while the runner up will get a second chance to qualify through the FIFA Intercontinental Play-Off Tournament.
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Photo Credit: OFC Media via Phototek