So we have remaining OFC WC qualifiers in the March 2025 window.
Semi final verus Fiji at Sky Stadium, and then hopefully the Final at Eden Park verus one of New Caledonia, Tahiti or Vanautu.
My wish list after that -
June window another North American tour. Game verus Canada and play either the USA or Mexico again. Early days but none of the 3 WC hosts in 2026 have games in that June window, and with most Confederations still in the midst of WC qualifying, they will be struggling to find quality friendly matches.
AWs showed with their (somewhat lucky) draw against US, we are worthy opponents. Be great for AWs to have another trip Stateside in the leadup to 2026. Get used to the infrastructure, stadiums, time zones, etc etc. Any advantage we can get before 2026 always handy. We may have 1 or more pool opponents in 2026 who have never played in North America before.
September & October windows - a little quadrangular tourney with Australia, South Korea & Japan. Say Sth Korea & Japan visit NZ and Aussie in September (just prior ALM kicking off), and then in the October window AWs & Socceroos venture up to Seoul & Tokyo for a game each. Could even put up a little trophy for the winner. Be great to have the AWs play couple of high quality opponents in NZ. Aotearoa has reasonable Korean and Japanese expat communities as well
November window - 2 games up in Europe and/or the Middle East.
Socceroos in London. Iran in Tehran. Jordon or Uzbekistan in Doha or Amman.
Note the current AFC qualifying stage will finish June next year. The top 2 teams in each of the 3 pools (so six teams) will have qualified for the World Cup, by June. Like the US, Mexico & Canada they will be looking for some games in the leadup to June 2026, from September onwards.
On current standings these 6 AFC teams are (only at the halfway point of qualifying) - Japan, Australia (2nd on GD), Iran, Uzbekistan, Sth Korea, Jordan (2nd on GD).
After the March window next year Japan may have already locked in qualification. They are currently 7 pts clear of Socceroos (2nd), and looks very likely they will be qualified already before June. They play in China tomorrow, and then have 2 home games next March.
Same Sth Korea (5 pts clear in their pool). Play Palestine in Amman tomorrow, then have 2 home qualifiers in March.
So as soon as late March next year, NZF maybe talking to the Koreans and Japanese about some games, later in the year.
Semi final verus Fiji at Sky Stadium, and then hopefully the Final at Eden Park verus one of New Caledonia, Tahiti or Vanautu.
My wish list after that -
June window another North American tour. Game verus Canada and play either the USA or Mexico again. Early days but none of the 3 WC hosts in 2026 have games in that June window, and with most Confederations still in the midst of WC qualifying, they will be struggling to find quality friendly matches.
AWs showed with their (somewhat lucky) draw against US, we are worthy opponents. Be great for AWs to have another trip Stateside in the leadup to 2026. Get used to the infrastructure, stadiums, time zones, etc etc. Any advantage we can get before 2026 always handy. We may have 1 or more pool opponents in 2026 who have never played in North America before.
September & October windows - a little quadrangular tourney with Australia, South Korea & Japan. Say Sth Korea & Japan visit NZ and Aussie in September (just prior ALM kicking off), and then in the October window AWs & Socceroos venture up to Seoul & Tokyo for a game each. Could even put up a little trophy for the winner. Be great to have the AWs play couple of high quality opponents in NZ. Aotearoa has reasonable Korean and Japanese expat communities as well
November window - 2 games up in Europe and/or the Middle East.
Socceroos in London. Iran in Tehran. Jordon or Uzbekistan in Doha or Amman.
Note the current AFC qualifying stage will finish June next year. The top 2 teams in each of the 3 pools (so six teams) will have qualified for the World Cup, by June. Like the US, Mexico & Canada they will be looking for some games in the leadup to June 2026, from September onwards.
On current standings these 6 AFC teams are (only at the halfway point of qualifying) - Japan, Australia (2nd on GD), Iran, Uzbekistan, Sth Korea, Jordan (2nd on GD).
After the March window next year Japan may have already locked in qualification. They are currently 7 pts clear of Socceroos (2nd), and looks very likely they will be qualified already before June. They play in China tomorrow, and then have 2 home games next March.
Same Sth Korea (5 pts clear in their pool). Play Palestine in Amman tomorrow, then have 2 home qualifiers in March.
So as soon as late March next year, NZF maybe talking to the Koreans and Japanese about some games, later in the year.