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World Cup 2026

544 replies · 27,485 views
7 days ago · edited 7 days ago · History
Pity Gope-Fenepe is 37 years. A younger player and he could have sprinted in on goal after nabbing the turnover, rather than that hopeful long range speccy. He's pretty isolated up front.

But NC doing okay, and threaten enough to score on the counter. Jamaicans can't switch off.

Edit 1-0 at HT.
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7 days ago · edited 7 days ago · History
Finishes 1-0 to Jamaica. Cagous with some chances at the end, Reggae Boz keeper one sharp save at his near post.

They bring Villa's Leon Bailey off the bench. NC's some French non league footballers plus the two NC guys at Tahiti United.

Be interesting to see if NC can improve further, but they will miss a guy like 37 yr old Gope-Fenepej who you would think retires now. Ex French youth international Fulgini (age 29) is a good pickup for them.

They have some smart footballers, and should be proud of their performance. Hopefully they can get an OFC Pro League club off the ground in 2027.

DR Congo will be favorites against Jamaica.
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Endorsed by
Oi Oi EdgecumbeSi
7 days ago
coochiee wrote:
Finishes 1-0 to Jamaica. Cagous with some chances at the end, Reggae Boz keeper one sharp save at his near post.

They bring Villa's Leon Bailey off the bench. NC's some French non league footballers plus the two NC guys at Tahiti United.

Be interesting to see if NC can improve further, but they will miss a guy like 37 yr old Gope-Fenepej who you would think retires now. Ex French youth international Fulgini (age 29) is a good pickup for them.

They have some smart footballers, and should be proud of their performance. Hopefully they can get an OFC Pro League club off the ground in 2027.

DR Congo will be favorites against Jamaica.
Yea a pretty good effort from New Caledonia.  They do have some potential, like you said, hopefully they can get their OFC pro league team going.  They were competitive, and the Mexican crowd were right behind them, which would have been a real buzz for the team.
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Endorsed by
coochiee
7 days ago
In a random game. The solomon islands are playing against Bulgaria and just scored a goal 2-1 down after 28 mins. Playing decent football
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6 days ago
Dont mean to bug you,  but you need s proven football coach,  Danny Hay at least deserved to go to the wc since you outplayed CR for 90 minutes with guts AND frantic one-two football .  
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4 days ago
AWs pool opponents Belgium & Egypt with impressive wins this window.

First games this March window
Belgium 5 USA 2 in Atlanta, US
Iran 1 Nigeria 2 played in Turkey
Egypt 4 Saudi Arabia 0 played in Saudi (Jeddah)

2nd games
Belgium vs Mexico
Iran vs Costa Rica
Egypt vs Spain
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3 days ago
Tomorrow from I think 10am NZ time, Intercontinental playoff finals, DR Congo vs Jamaica and then Iraq vs Bolivia.

Depending on what happens with Iran, the Iraq match maybe one to watch for AWs fans.

Iraq beat Bolivia they join France, Senegal & Norway in the Group of Death.
If Iran don't play in the World Cup, it might be UAE (as the next AFC team) who yet end up in the AWs pool. Iraq lose to Bolivia and it yes could be the Iraqis in our Pool.

https://www.plus.fifa.com/en/content/congo-dr-vs-jamaica/6097cbe9-146f-4391-b02f-184b96b5bfe7

https://www.plus.fifa.com/en/content/iraq-vs-bolivia/cf8ebe7a-a55e-4222-b5f6-e29571223889

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3 days ago
Well if Infantino says it, it must be true.


"Iran will be at the World Cup," Infantino said at half-time as Iran beat Costa Rica 5-0 in a friendly in Turkey.

"That's why we're here. We're delighted because they're a very, very strong team, I'm very happy.

"I've seen the team, I've spoken to the players and the coach, so everything is fine," added Infantino, whose attendance at Tuesday's game was unannounced.
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2 days ago
coochiee wrote:
Belgium thrash USA 5-2 in Atlanta
Red Devils unfortunately not a spent force it seems

https://youtu.be/45MdamYonhk


https://youtu.be/NP79mcfUpu4 
The New York Times analysis of the game said ex-players like Clint Dempsey were  scathing, saying the US team lacked intensity and the will to win.  
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7159184/2026/03/30/usmnt-world-cup-pochettino-intensity-belgium-portugal/


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2 days ago · edited 2 days ago · History
coochiee wrote:
Tomorrow from I think 10am NZ time, Intercontinental playoff finals, DR Congo vs Jamaica and then Iraq vs Bolivia.

Depending on what happens with Iran, the Iraq match maybe one to watch for AWs fans.

Iraq beat Bolivia they join France, Senegal & Norway in the Group of Death.
If Iran don't play in the World Cup, it might be UAE (as the next AFC team) who yet end up in the AWs pool. Iraq lose to Bolivia and it yes could be the Iraqis in our Pool.

https://www.plus.fifa.com/en/content/congo-dr-vs-jamaica/6097cbe9-146f-4391-b02f-184b96b5bfe7

https://www.plus.fifa.com/en/content/iraq-vs-bolivia/cf8ebe7a-a55e-4222-b5f6-e29571223889

 
If Iraq lose today and then Iran withdraw I wouldn't be shocked if FIFA just parachute in their favourite non-qualified team (e.g. as happened for Inter Miami at the Club World Cup). For example if Italy fail to get past Bosnia-Herzegovina today then they might just let them in anyway. Or otherwise the country with the biggest brown envelope.
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2 days ago · edited 2 days ago · History
There you go, Italy are out and part one of my conspiracy theory falls into place lol. 

Either way it probably doesn’t make any difference given the track record of the lowly Italians against the mighty all whites at world cups. 
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Endorsed by
Mainland FC
2 days ago
Egypt held Spain to a 0-0 draw, also going down a man in the 84th minute.
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2 days ago
Egypt sans Salah, in Catalonia. Marmoush hit the post.
As above Iran beat Costa Rica 5-0.
Belgium kick off against Mexico in a few hours.
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2 days ago · edited 2 days ago · History
Fitzy wrote:
There you go, Italy are out and part one of my conspiracy theory falls into place lol. 

Either way it probably doesn’t make any difference given the track record of the lowly Italians against the mighty all whites at world cups. 
At election time AFC seem to endorse/vote for Infantino and UEFA don't.

If Iran have to withdraw I'd wager it is Iraq or UAE who replace them. Though whoever loses their Intercontinental playoffs today between DR Congo, Jamaica and Bolivia may well appeal UAE getting a spot at the WC if that came to pass. All moot if yes Iran attend.

Poor old NZP. Is that the last 3 WCs the Azzurri have failed to qualify for?
https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2026/04/01/four-more-spots-secured-in-final-day-of-qualifying-for-fifa-mens-world-cup/

Bosnia and Herzegovina  1–1 (a.e.t.) (4–1 p) Italy
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2 days ago · edited 2 days ago · History
DR Congo beat Jamaica in ET, 1-0. Burnley's Axel Tuanzebe (ex Man U) with the goal
DRC go into World Cup group of Portugal, Columbia and Uzbekistan.


Just shows that New Caledonia weren't a million miles off getting to the World Cup. Helps the agrument that with 48 team WCs, OFC should keep at least one automatic spot, plus playoff

https://us.soccerway.com/game/d-r-congo-phn9mm8H/jamaica-CWmDb3zj/?mid=nHRhJvF8
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Endorsed by
Mainland FC
2 days ago
Belgium 1-1 draw with Mexico.

Iraq 1-0 up after 20 mins in their playoff verus Bolivia.
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2 days ago
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Endorsed by
Oi Oi Edgecumbe
1 day ago
kits certainly tough to differentiate from the camera angle, but up close the Belgians are clearly in a pale blue/pink top compared to the USA's white with red stripes.

Queenslander 3x a year.

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1 day ago
As I posted elsewhere, USA was criticised by their sports journos and pundits or lack of intensity and commitment against Belgium.


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about 10 hours ago
Anyone fancy going to the final?


The first open sale of tickets for the 2026 World Cup showed Fifa is charging up to $10,990 [NZ$19,229] to be at the final.

It is thought to be the most expensive ever general admission to a football match, based on box office prices rather than the resale market.

In its World Cup bid book, the US, Canada and Mexico said tickets to the final would cost a maximum of $1,550 [NZ$2,712].

By the time tickets went on sale to members of each country's official supporters' club in December, the most expensive was listed at $8,680 [NZ$15,188].

Prices then went up again when Wednesday's final sale period began.

Tickets for the Qatar World Cup final in 2022 cost the equivalent of $1,604 [NZ$2,806] for the top-priced seat.
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about 8 hours ago
If the kiwis made it.

Sure.

Auckland will rise once more

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about 8 hours ago
Sounds like Iran will be at the WC. Though not selecting players due to political reasons, could lead to trouble with FIFA or getting visas into the US??

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360960033/iran-makes-world-cup-progress-talks-infantino-war

Infantino also offered tangible help for the squad to prepare for the World Cup in the next two months. Most Iran players are with clubs in the national league that has shut down during the war.

Iran's World Cup hosts in Arizona said this week they were pressing on with training camp upgrades plus local and federal security plans — echoing the “stick to the schedule” mantra FIFA has used.
Iran's Mehdi Taremi, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring their side's second goal during a friendly soccer match between Iran and Costa Rica. Photo: Riza Ozel / AP

Infantino stayed on in the Turkish coastal resort of Antalya to watch Iran rout Costa Rica 5-0 in a warmup.

Clearly, the next two months are full of uncertainty for the Iran team and nation itself amid mixed messages about US intentions for the war.

Still, talk of Iran boycotting football’s biggest event or seeking to move its games from Los Angeles and Seattle to Mexico has faded.
The Iranian delegation is due at its Tucson training camp no later than June 10 for the June 11-July 19 tournament.

Iran football’s miserable month
The war immediately cast doubt on Iran’s ability and willingness to fulfill a World Cup entry secured in March 2025 as one of the best teams in Asia.

In the first half of March, government officials variously suggested the team could not play at the World Cup, could not travel to the US, and FIFA should move Iran's games to co-host Mexico.

Iran football’s better week
The FIFA-mandated break for clubs to release their players to national teams gave World Cup squads up to nine days together and two warmup games.

Iran was scheduled to go to Jordan, another World Cup team, where Nigeria and Costa Rica were invited to be opponents in back-to-back games. When the war spread across the Middle East, those games were switched from Jordanian capital Amman to the safety of Antalya in southern Turkey.

For most Iran players, a 2-1 loss to Nigeria last Friday and the win against Costa Rica on Tuesday was their first competitive action since the Persian Gulf Pro League stopped.

Both Iran games were without fans in the stadium. In a similar warmup before the 2022 World Cup, Iran fans were locked out of a stadium in Austria, avoiding any protest against the government being shown on the broadcast back home.

In Antalya, the Iran team protested the US-backed military strikes by holding up children’s backpacks and photos of victims of the war during the national anthems.

Missing from the squad was star striker Sardar Azmoun. He was not selected reportedly on the order of state authorities because of a social media post by the Dubai-based player of a photograph with him greeting political leaders of the United Arab Emirates.
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about 1 hour ago
Maybe I’m late to the party but just figured out that TVNZ while having 22 free matches, that we will have to pay to watch the rest.

Grrrrrrrrr

Auckland will rise once more

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