New Zealand has officially secured its place in the 2026 World Cup after defeating New Caledonia 3-0 in the final of the third round of Oceania qualifying.
Thus, New Zealand is the second team to officially qualify for the World Cup, after Japan from Asia. The United States, Canada, and Mexico have also secured their place as hosts.
This will be New Zealand’s third World Cup appearance, following its first appearance in the 1982 edition in Spain and the 2010 edition in South Africa, both of which failed to advance beyond the group stage.
With the increase in the number of teams participating in the 2026 World Cup, Oceania now has a direct place in the World Cup, after its representative had to first reach the play-offs, either with Asia or the global play-offs, to secure qualification.
The isolated continent also has the opportunity to send another team to the World Cup, as New Caledonia will participate in a global play-off with five other teams.
The play-off will include one team each from Africa, Asia, South America, and Oceania, in addition to two teams from North and Central America and the Caribbean.
