The Kiwi mother and son who just made World Cup history

Thursday, 25 June 2026

Former Football Fern Jenny Bindon and her son, All White Tyler Bindon, look back on becoming the first mother and son to feature at FIFA World Cups.

As soon as the final whistle blew in the All Whites’ World Cup opener against Iran, Tyler Bindon made a beeline for the crowd, high-fived his mum and said: “we did it mum.”

By stepping off the bench in the 2-2 draw at SoFi Stadium, Bindon and his mother, former Football Ferns goalkeeper Jenny Bindon, created a piece of football history.

They became the first mother and son to feature at FIFA World Cups.

Tyler Bindon waves to the crowd prior to his World Cup debut against Iran.

Jenny represented New Zealand at the Women’s World Cups in 2007 and 2011, playing at both tournaments after giving birth to Tyler in 2005.

Boisterious and confident Flying Kiwis have taken over a small part of Vancouver en route to the stadium.

Tyler earned his second World Cup appearance in the All Whites’ 3-1 defeat to Egypt in Vancouver, again as a second-half substitute.

While plenty of sons have followed in their dads’ footsteps by representing their countries, including Norway’s Erling and Alf-Inge Haaland, the Bindons are the World Cup’s first mother-son duo.

The pair reflected on their historic achievement this week during a joint media opportunity at the All Whites’ downtown Vancouver hotel ahead of Friday’s (Saturday NZT) final group G clash against Belgium. Jenny wore Tyler’s shirt from the opening match, complete with No 4 and Bindon on the back.

“When Tyler’s number came up, No 4, and he was coming on, it was pretty awesome,” she said.

“I wasn’t thinking [about the milestone], I was more thinking ‘can we win this?’ But after the game, seeing Tyler, he came over and it was just him and I. He just leaned in, gave me a big high-five and said ‘we did it mum’. That was pretty cool to know we were the first.

“It’s been a long journey. From three months-old, Tyler has been with me through my football career, and I’ve been there for his whole football career.”

Tyler, a 21-year-old centre back on the books of Premier League club Nottingham Forest, said he was proud to continue the Bindon legacy.

Jenny played 77 internationals for New Zealand and also represented her country at the Olympic Games in 2008 and 2012.

Jenny Bindon represented New Zealand at two World Cups.

As a youngster, Tyler attended numerous Football Ferns camps and occasionally walked out alongside his mum before international matches.

Now he is walking out on football’s biggest stage.

Tyler said football had been part of his life for as long as he could remember, with a front-row seat to his mum’s career growing up.

“It’s unique and special. To have your name on the back of your shirt is a real honour and it’s something we never take for granted,” Tyler said.

“To me she’s just my mum, but to everyone else she’s a Football Fern and done so much in her career; been to two World Cups and two Olympics.

“I don’t know her as anything else. She’s my mum, but the fact is I was able to walk out with her as a kid and now I’m walking out onto the pitch.”