All Whites coach Darren Bazeley shares good injury news in ‘worrying time’ ahead of FIFA World Cup

Friday, 24 April 2026

All Whites coach Darren Bazeley talks about what goes through his head when he sees one of his players go down.

All Whites coach Darren Bazeley is watching a lot of football through his fingers at present.

All Whites coach Darren Bazeley spoke about the race to be the team's No 1 at the FIFA World Cup in June.

With seven weeks to go until the start of the FIFA World Cup, five until the All Whites start setting up camp in the United States, and three until he names his 26-man squad, he is now at a point where injuries to his players could have a major impact.

In the month since the last international window, Bazeley has seen captain Chris Wood (knee), midfielder Matt Garbett (foot) and centre back Tommy Smith (hamstring) all return to fitness – though in Wood’s case, not without briefly giving him a scare.

Forward Kosta Barbarouses missed Western Sydney Wanderers’ loss to the Phoenix last Saturday with what coach Gary van Egmond called “a tiny little tear” in his calf. Their season ends on Saturday, but there is no concern about his fitness for the World Cup.

Midfielder Sarpreet Singh is a good chance to return from his knee injury in the Wellington Phoenix’s last A-League Men fixture on Friday night, away against Macarthur FC. If he gets on, it will be just his second appearance in an ill-fated loan spell.

Defenders Francis de Vries and Nando Pijnaker are on track to play some part in Auckland FC’s finals campaign – de Vries in the second leg if they make it to the semifinals; Pijnaker potentially next week, if they have to play an elimination final.

Liberato Cacace in action for the All Whites in the Oceania World Cup qualifying final last March.

Bazeley shared on Friday that left back Liberato Cacace and centre back Michael Boxall are not far away too.

Of Cacace, who has been sidelined at Wrexham since February 7 with a hamstring issue, then a calf issue: “He was close to being involved [midweek] against Oxford United. He’s fully training. He feels good. He’s hoping he’ll be involved this weekend [when Wrexham play Coventry]”.

Of Boxall, who has missed Minnesota United’s last six league matches with an adductor issue: “He's doing well. He could be playing. He's got an injury where he could push it, but he and the club are being a little bit cautious with that, making sure that it doesn't flare up, because that would put him at risk. If this was the World Cup now, he would be available for selection”.

“We're at that stage now where we're getting close to the World Cup and players all want to be fully fit for the World Cup,” Bazeley added.

Michael Boxall in action for the All Whites in the Oceania World Cup qualifying final last March.

“They all want to be playing for their clubs, for sure, but I think everybody's a bit cautious at the moment, to make sure that they don't put themselves in a position where they do something that makes something worse.”

Bazeley was in the crowd at Go Media Stadium in Auckland when Pijnaker suffered a dislocated shoulder against Melbourne Victory two weeks ago and was relieved when it became clear the centre back was set to make a quick return.

He was also watching on his laptop when Wood was on the receiving end of a nasty red-card tackle that forced him from the field in his third match back for Nottingham Forest, a Europa League quarterfinal against Porto last week.

“You rewind it and you're trying to see what exactly happened. How did they react? How did they walk off? You know a little bit, but you don't know the full scale.

“Then I'm straight in touch with the medical department, with [head physio Roland Jeffery], saying have you seen this?

All Whites coach Darren Bazeley reacts after they were drawn with Belgium, Egypt and Iran at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“I’m normally texting the player straight away. Woodsy – he literally texted me back at halftime. He'd obviously gone in and seen that and probably realised I'd be a bit worried, so he texted me back, said it was an impact injury.”

“It's a worrying time, every time players are playing now,” Bazeley added.

“I look at lineups and see if players came off and what time they came off, and then check, if they came off, was it tactical, or is there an injury? I text the player – how did you go? I saw you came off, is everything all right?

“We're going to be living like that for the next month, until we get to the World Cup.”

Bazeley is still yet to lock in a specific date for his squad announcement.

“It will be around the middle of May,” he said on Friday. “The exact date is still to be confirmed, but that gives us another three weeks of watching players, talking to players, making sure everybody's fit and available for when those final conversations happen.”

Confirmation of Auckland FC’s finals schedule this weekend will allow New Zealand Football to find a day, likely in the week of May 11, where their All Whites and those from the Phoenix can gather in one place for an announcement event.

Confirmation of an initial warm-up fixture in Florida on June 1 or 2 ahead of the match against England in Tampa on June 6, is also understood to be imminent.

The All Whites’ World Cup campaign is set to begin on June 15 against Iran in Los Angeles.

They will then face Egypt and Belgium in Vancouver in their other two group G matches, as they chase a first World Cup win and a place in the knockout stage.