New Zealand has secured a spot in the FIFA World Cup for just the third time in history, following a dominant second-half performance in Auckland that saw them defeat New Caledonia and claim the OFC’s sole direct qualification spot.
A 3-0 victory in front of a passionate Eden Park crowd places this squad alongside the historic teams of Spain 1982 and South Africa 2010 as the only New Zealand sides to reach the global tournament.
New Caledonia, meanwhile, will move on to the FIFA Play-off Tournament, aiming to make history with their first-ever World Cup qualification.
Despite the absence of injured star Chris Wood, the All Whites delivered a commanding second-half display, netting three goals to overcome a resilient New Caledonia and punch their ticket to the World Cup.
With this qualification, New Zealand becomes the second team to secure a place at the tournament—after Japan—outside of the host nations.
