All Whites midfielder Matt Garbett unlikely to face Iran after missing final training session with injury concern
Monday, 15 June 2026
All Whites midfielder Matt Garbett has suffered a hamstring injury and looks likely to miss their World Cup opener against Iran in Los Angeles.
The 24-year-old was expected to start alongside Eli Just and Sarpreet Singh in the attacking midfield trio, but didn’t train at all on Sunday local time.
The All Whites begin their World Cup campaign against world number 20 Iran at SoFi Stadium on Monday night local time (1pm Tuesday NZ time).
The All Whites look set to be without one of their key midfielders when they kick off the World Cup in Los Angeles after Matt Garbett sat out the team’s final training session due to a hamstring injury.
Although coach Darren Bazeley stopped short of ruling him out of Monday’s clash (Tuesday NZT) against Iran, it appears highly unlikely he will be fit to play at the US$5.5 billion SoFi Stadium in a major blow to the All Whites and Garbett personally.
It’s understood the 24-year-old Peterborough player felt tightness in his hamstring while dribbling during the team’s penultimate training session at the University of San Diego on Saturday.
He had been expected to start on the right side of the All Whites' attacking midfield trio after impressing in the 1-0 defeat to England in their final warm-up match.
Eli Just (on the left) and Sarpreet Singh (in the middle) also started that match and were also expected to back up, having been regular starters for coach Bazeley in recent times.
“He had a hamstring issue yesterday and at this stage he’s being monitored by the physio department,” Bazeley said of Garbett.
“We’ve got great medical people looking at him. He’s obviously disappointed to not train today. He likes to train every single day. That was tough for him today. We’re waiting to find out more medical advice at this stage.”
Garbett's absence presents Bazeley's only significant selection dilemma after he informed players of his starting lineup earlier in the week.
The coach offered few clues when he fronted the official pre-match press conference alongside captain Chris Wood, but he appeared to reveal his hand against England when goalkeeper Max Crocombe started ahead of Alex Paulsen and played most of the match following their long-running battle for the starting gloves.
Bazeley has several options to replace Garbett. Just and Singh could shift positions within the attacking midfield trio, while Jesse Randall, Ben Old and Callum McCowatt are all capable of filling the vacancy.
Old appears to have become the chief deputy for Liberato Cacace at left back, moving ahead of Francis de Vries.
Cacace only played 45 minutes and 61 minutes in the All Whites’ warm-up losses to Haiti and England and it is not yet clear if he is capable of playing a full 90.
Old could be needed to cover him, making Randall – who started against Haiti but was replaced by Garbett in the starting XI against England – the most likely replacement.
Bazeley said there had been difficult conversations with players left out of the starting side, but his message was simple: be ready to make an impact.
The All Whites are targeting their opening match against world No 20 Iran for their first World Cup win before tougher tests against Egypt and Belgium in Vancouver.
Their lineup will be confirmed 90 minutes before kickoff.
“We’ve got a really good squad of 26 players and every single one of them wants to play, and I’m sure that’s the same for every country,” Bazeley said.
“The starting lineup have a chance to set the tone for us, to give us a really good base and the subs, come on and try and win the game for us.”
All Whites – 2026 FIFA World Cup
Squad
GK: Max Crocombe, Alex Paulsen, Michael Woud; DF: Callan Elliot, Tim Payne; Tyler Bindon, Michael Boxall, Nando Pijnaker, Tommy Smith, Finn Surman; Liberato Cacace, Francis de Vries; MF: Lachlan Bayliss, Joe Bell, Matt Garbett, Eli Just, Ben Old, Alex Rufer, Sarpreet Singh, Marko Stamenić, Ryan Thomas; FW: Kosta Barbarouses, Callum McCowatt, Jesse Randall, Ben Waine, Chris Wood
Fixtures/results (NZ time)
Friendlies
World Cup group G
June 16, 1pm: v Iran; SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, California
June 22, 1pm: v Egypt; BC Place, Vancouver
June 27, 3pm: v Belgium, BC Place