All Whites to play first-ever football match at One NZ Stadium in November
Tuesday, 14 July 2026
After raising the heart rates of football fans and capturing the attention of even rugby diehards during their FIFA World Cup campaign, the All Whites have announced two home internationals — including the first football match at Christchurch’s One NZ Stadium.
Following their World Cup 2026 campaign, the All Whites will take on India in a two-match series at Auckland’s Go Media Stadium on November 12, and Christchurch’s One NZ Stadium on November 15.
It will be the first time in 14 years the team has played in Christchurch after beating Tahiti 3-0 at Apollo Projects Stadium in 2012.
“We have long stated that once the stadium was open, it was an absolute priority to bring the All Whites back to Christchurch,” New Zealand Football CEO Andrew Pragnell said.
“One NZ Stadium is an incredible facility, so it is going to be amazing to see it packed with thousands of Cantabrians supporting the team.”
The home series against India was announced as part of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to New Zealand.
It comes just weeks after the All Whites drew 2-2 with Iran before losing to Egypt and Belgium at the FIFA World Cup in North America - a valiant but heartbreaking campaign in their bid to make history for their third qualifying cup.
Prior to the matches, defender Tim Payne went viral and became arguably the most talked-about player at the tournament after an Argentine content creator dubbed him the “least-known player”, helping him gain millions of fans on social media.
New Zealand Football said it could not yet confirm whether World Cup standouts - inlcuding multi-goal scorer Elijah Just, Christchurch-raised defender Finn Surman or Payne - would be there for the history-making moment.
The squad would be named about two weeks before the matches.
“These are full international fixtures so we would anticipate naming the strongest squad available,” the spokesperson said.
International windows pause most club activity to allow players to represent their countries — meaning players like 22-year-old Surman, who scored a towering header against Egypt, Payne, and midfielder Joe Bell could all be in contention.
Tickets start from $20 for adults and $10 for children, with a presale for New Zealand Football's Football Whānau beginning Monday and general sale from Wednesday next week.
Pragnell noted Christchurch’s rich football history — producing legends including Steve Sumner and Ryan Nelsen — and said the city would play “a major role” in future A-League expansion, a strategic priority for New Zealand Football.
The matches form part of a series of events celebrating 100 years of sporting ties between New Zealand and India. The two sides have met just twice before — drawing 0-0 in 1981 before New Zealand won 2-1 in 2018.
Moves are also under way to have One NZ Stadium host a hub day of matches for next year’s OFC Pacific Nations Cup — what South Island United chief executive Ryan Edwards says is comparable to rugby’s Super Round.
A proposal is due to the OFC by the end of the week, with Edwards saying it was “looking promising” for a Thursday fixture in March, pending support from ChristchurchNZ and local government.
The November fixtures will be the ninth and 10th home matches of the current four-year international cycle and the final All Whites appearances of 2026.