New Zealand beat New Caledonia 3-0 to qualify for the 2026 World Cup finals, where they return after a 16-year absence.

New Zealand has managed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, marking a major comeback after 16 years. The team, coached by Darren Bazeley, defeated New Caledonia 3-0 in the qualifying play-off final, with all the goals scored in the second half. With an impressive run in the preliminaries, where they picked up maximum points, New Zealand confirm their status as Oceania favorites, the second team to qualify after Japan.