Iran vs. New Zealand - prediction, team news, lineups | World Cup 2026

Iran instrumentality connected returning New Zealand astatine SoFi Stadium successful their World Cup 2026 opener, aiming to get disconnected to a affirmative commencement successful Group G.

The Monday nighttime brushwood (early greeting UK) marks the instrumentality of the Oceania outfit aft a 16-year absence, and their signifier heading into the fixture does not augur good for their prospects of success.

Match preview

Iran person ne'er precocious from the radical signifier of the World Cup, and their ambition to interruption caller crushed has taken a deed up of this summer's seventh engagement connected the planetary stage.

A diplomatic quality with the United States means that Team Melli look the logistical situation of travelling into the US connected matchday and leaving connected the aforesaid time for each radical matches, starting with Monday night's brushwood with New Zealand.

While it volition beryllium absorbing to spot however Amir Ghalenoei's squad header nether those conditions, they astatine slightest participate the contention successful good form, having won 3 successful a row.

The team's ongoing tally includes wins implicit Costa Rica and Mali, keeping cleanable sheets successful the 5-0 and 2-0 wins, respectively, sandwiching a 3-1 occurrence implicit Gambia.

Having secured a triumph each astatine the 2018 and 2022 finals, Iran present question to adhd different to boost their prospects of reaching the circular of 32 successful North America.

New Zealand are returning to the planetary showpiece aft missing 3 tournaments successful 2014, 2018 and 2022 with Darren Bazeley's broadside aiming to stun a broadside ranked No. 20 successful the world.

The All Whites, for their part, are placed 65 places little than their top-20 opponents, highlighting the chasm betwixt the teams, though the land state volition anticipation to exploit their Asian opponent's logistical challenges.

However, the Oceania outfit are not successful the finest fettle heading into their 3rd World Cup appearance, with the All Whites winning doubly since sealing qualification.

Those 2 wins came astir a twelvemonth apart, with a 1-0 occurrence implicit Ivory Coast successful June past twelvemonth past followed by a 4-1 occurrence implicit Chile successful March; however, those triumphs are soiled by a plethora of defeats during that play — 9 losses successful 11 matches — galore of which person highlighted the team's issues astatine some ends.

New Zealand person failed to people successful six of their 9 defeats successful the past 12 months, with the astir caller disappointments coming against Haiti (4-0) and England (1-0) this period successful the lead-up to the planetary finals.

Far from perfect mentation for their 3rd quality connected the planetary stage, it volition beryllium absorbing to spot if the All Whites alteration the tide successful North America with the satellite watching.

Iran signifier (all competitions):

New Zealand signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Iran are facing a fewer wounded issues heading into Monday's fixture, with Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Dennis Eckert and Mehdi Torabi apt to miss out, portion Roozbeh Cheshmi volition beryllium assessed earlier their opening encounter.

While those doubts remain, Mehdi Taremi enters the contention arsenic Team Melli's prima guardant and the 105-cap No. 9 aims to adhd to his 60 nationalist squad goals.

The centre-forward is backed by a fewer players who person scored treble figures successful goals for the side, with Mohammad Mohebi, Mehdi Ghayedi and injured Jahanbakhsh scoring 14, 10 and 17 times for Iran up of the finals.

New Zealand's hopes remainder connected skipper and centre-forward Chris Wood, who heads into the 2026 tourney with 45 goals successful 90 caps.

The Nottingham Forest forward, however, heads into the tourney disconnected the backmost of a twelvemonth that saw him prolong a genu wounded that kept him retired for astir six months earlier his instrumentality successful April, limiting him to conscionable 3 Premier League goals successful 15 matches.

Only Kosta Barbarouses (10) has netted treble figures successful planetary goals for the All Whites, portion Port Vale's Ben Waine needs 1 much to deed 10 goals for the nationalist team.

While New Zealand bash not person arsenic galore injuries arsenic Iran, Ryan Thomas is not expected to play immoderate portion for the Oceania broadside successful their archetypal match.

Iran imaginable starting lineup:

Beiranvand; Rezaeian, Khalilzadeh, Kanaani, Hajsafi; Ezatolahi, Razzaghinia; Mohebi, Ghoddos, Ghayedi; Taremi

New Zealand imaginable starting lineup:

Crocombe; Payne, Surman, Boxall, Cacace; Bell, Stamenic; Just, Garbett, Singh; Wood

We say: Iran 2-0 New Zealand

While New Zealand ought to beryllium excited astir their instrumentality to the planetary stage, it is hard to marque a lawsuit for the out-of-form All Whites to get the amended of Iran connected Monday.

Despite their logistical challenges, Team Melli, who diagnostic successful our World Cup betting guide, are backed to borderline their opponents and enactment pre-World Cup issues down them successful the interim.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.