Race for FIFA World Cup places: Which All Whites are on the plane to North America?

Saturday, 22 November 2025

ANALYSIS: The All Whites now have just two matches to go before coach Darren Bazeley has to select his squad for the FIFA World Cup in North America next June.

But how have the eight tough matches they have played since qualifying in March affected the selection picture?

It is believed coaches will be able to select between 23 and 26 players in their squads for the 2026 World Cup, as they were for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

That has taken some of the edge off the battle for places.

New Zealand's shallow talent pool also contributes to a situation where there isn't a great deal of intrigue.

The country’s top echelon of players is pretty clear.

But there is still plenty to play for over the next six months, ahead of the squad naming, which will likely take place next May.

Here’s how Stuff thinks things stand.

Who's on the plane?

It will be a shock if any of the following players aren't there.

Goalkeepers: Max Crocombe, Alex Paulsen

Right back: Tim Payne

Centre backs: Tyler Bindon, Michael Boxall, Finn Surman

Left backs: Liberato Cacace, Francis de Vries

Central midfielders: Joe Bell, Alex Rufer, Marko Stamenić, Ryan Thomas

Attacking midfielders: Matt Garbett, Eli Just, Ben Old, Sarpreet Singh

Forwards: Kosta Barbarouses, Callum McCowatt, Chris Wood

They are 19 of the 21 players to have started across the All Whites' 10 matches in 2025.

That leaves seven places up for grabs in a 26-man group.

Positional needs

In order for the All Whites to have a balanced squad, three of those places will have to go to a third goalkeeper, a second right back and a fourth centre back.

Third goalkeeper

Though it won’t feel that way for whoever gets the nod, the third goalkeeper will be the least consequential of Bazeley’s selections and it’s one where he will lean heavily on goalkeeping coach Paul Gothard.

Henry Gray, Oli Sail, Kees Sims and Nik Tzanev have all filled the role in 2025, but only Sims has been starting at club level and that was only after the No 1 at his Swedish club was struck down by injury.

If Sims claims the starting role in 2026 when the new Allsvenskan season begins, he could become the favourite.

Michael Woud, starting for Auckland FC in A-League Men, will be pressing his case for a recall as well.

Second right back

Somewhat surprisingly – given he made just four appearances for Charlotte FC in Major League Soccer between July 2023 and July 2025 – Bill Tuiloma has emerged as the chief understudy to Payne this year, starting three of the four matches he missed.

It’s not yet clear if Tuiloma will be re-signed by Charlotte for 2026, but uncertainty there could open the door for challengers.

Storm Roux was called up in Payne’s absence in November, but did little to impress, while Callan Elliot was unlucky to miss out and is now set to have a run of starts for Auckland FC to show what he can do.

Fourth centre back

George Stanger filled this role in October and November, having become a starter for Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership, but became the first outfielder to go on two tours without playing during Bazeley’s time in charge.

Nando Pijnaker has missed the last three windows injured, but looks likely to come back into the fold in March now he’s fit. Things might change if he can’t reclaim his starting spot at Auckland FC.

The rest

Ben Waine is the other player to have started for the All Whites this year, doing so on three occasions when Wood was either absent or only available for limited minutes. Though his effort can’t be faulted, he is yet to really leave a mark against opponents outside Oceania. He also hasn’t played at club level since August and has failed to even make matchday squads at Port Vale in recent weeks, so he badly needs a move in January.

The lack of a clear alternative in the classic No 9 mould – someone who could be an extra target alongside Wood late-on, or instead of him, if it came to that – could be his saving grace, given the amount of time that has been invested in him so far. Andre de Jong, more of a cross between a No 10 and a No 9, went on the last two tours, but only made one brief substitute appearance, while Max Mata has not been sighted in the All Whites for 18 months and is currently clubless and recovering from injury.

Jesse Randall is a different type of forward, capable of playing both up top and on the left and his stock has risen plenty in recent weeks as he has made a strong start to the season with Auckland FC. He was a late call-up as an injury replacement in November and is understood to have done plenty to improve his standing in Bazeley’s eyes.

Tommy Smith hasn’t taken the field for the All Whites in any of their last 15 matches and it appears his days as a genuine playing option are over, but Bazeley places a lot of stock in what the 35-year-old brings to the environment as a 17-year veteran in professional football. It might be controversial – less so in a 26-man squad than in a 23-man one – but it appears he will get to cap his career with a second World Cup appearance.

With Randall, Smith and Waine looking likely – they’d almost certainly be in if Bazeley was naming his squad today – that leaves one place surrounded by real question marks, maybe two if Waine can’t change his club situation.

It will go wherever the coach wants extra redundancy. Maybe he takes two back-up right backs. Maybe he looks to someone like Owen Parker-Price as extra cover in midfield. It’s anyone’s guess.

With a 23-man squad likely to be selected for the All Whites’ next matches in March, the guessing game as to who makes the World Cup 26 is set to continue right up until Bazeley reveals all next May.

All Whites – possible World Cup squad

Goalkeepers: Max Crocombe, Alex Paulsen, Kees Sims

Right back: Tim Payne, Bill Tuiloma

Centre backs: Tyler Bindon, Michael Boxall, Nando Pijnaker, Tommy Smith, Finn Surman

Left backs: Liberato Cacace, Francis de Vries

Central midfielders: Joe Bell, Owen Parker-Price, Alex Rufer, Marko Stamenić, Ryan Thomas

Attacking midfielders: Matt Garbett, Eli Just, Ben Old, Sarpreet Singh

Forwards: Kosta Barbarouses, Callum McCowatt, Jesse Randall, Ben Waine, Chris Wood

Others in the mix: Henry Gray, Oli Sail, Nik Tzanev, Michael Woud; Callan Elliot, Storm Roux; George Stanger; Lukas Kelly-Heald, James McGarry, Sam Sutton, Dalton Wilkins; Cam Howieson; Luke Brooke-Smith, Andre de Jong, Moses Dyer, Ben Gibson, Max Mata, Logan Rogerson