New Zealand secured their place at the World Cup for only the third time with a 3-0 victory over New Caledonia on Monday, but the win came at a cost as they lost their captain and star striker Chris Wood to injury.
The All Whites join Japan and co-hosts the United States, Canada, and Mexico at next year’s expanded World Cup, thanks to three second-half goals. However, the celebrations at Auckland’s Eden Park were dampened by Wood’s injury. The Nottingham Forest forward, who has been in prolific form with 18 Premier League goals this season, appeared to suffer a hip injury shortly after halftime. He required treatment after attempting a swivel shot and was forced to leave the pitch in the 54th minute.
“It’s not great for us losing our captain and our goalscorer. It was a difficult thing for the team, but they came through so well,” said New Zealand’s English coach Darren Bazeley.
Despite dominating the first half, New Zealand struggled to break down a resilient New Caledonia defense. The breakthrough finally came in the 61st minute when veteran defender Michael Boxall headed home from a corner, scoring his first international goal.
Just five minutes later, Wood’s replacement, Kosta Barbarouses, doubled the lead with a composed chip over advancing goalkeeper Rocky Nyikeine. Substitute Eli Just sealed the victory with a close-range finish in the 80th minute, ensuring New Zealand’s place at the World Cup.
Although New Caledonia’s direct World Cup hopes were dashed, they will still have a chance through an intercontinental playoff. This opportunity arises from the World Cup’s expansion to 48 teams, which has also granted Oceania’s top side direct qualification for the first time. Previously, the region’s representative had to navigate an intercontinental playoff, with New Zealand falling short against Mexico, Costa Rica, and Peru in past campaigns.
New Zealand have previously qualified for the World Cup in 1982 and 2010 but are yet to register a win in six matches at the tournament. For Boxall, the team’s ambitions extend beyond just qualifying. “Once the World Cup expanded, we expected this of ourselves,” he said. “It’s not about getting there—it’s about what we do when we get there.”
New Zealand controlled the game from the outset against a New Caledonia side ranked 152nd in the world, 63 places below them. The visitors defended bravely, twice clearing the ball off the line in quick succession after 20 minutes. Wood came close in the 32nd minute, but his shot was saved comfortably by Nyikeine. He also missed a headed opportunity from a corner before the break, leaving the game unexpectedly goalless at halftime.
Bazeley responded by making two substitutions at the start of the second half, introducing winger Eli Just and defender Francis de Vries. Despite the setback of losing Wood, the All Whites’ relentless pressure eventually overwhelmed a tiring New Caledonia side, securing their historic qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
