FIFA World Cup 2026
New Zealand v Egypt
New Zealand v Egypt (Kick-off 2.00am). Semra Hunter presents coverage of the second Group G match for both sides, which takes place at BC Place Vancouver in Canada. New Zealand had yet to win a fixture at a World Cup finals in their previous attempts in 1982 and 2010 but, in part due to the huge number of teams now taking part, they were afforded one of the most comfortable paths to qualification of all nations. They defeated Tahiti, Samoa and Vanuatu in the group stage of the Oceania section, and followed that with knockout victories against Fiji and New Caledonia, with Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood finishing that campaign as the leading scorer. This fixture should prove a much greater test of their credentials, in the first meeting between the sides since March 2024, when New Zealand finished fourth of four nations in the FIFA Series: Egypt. A Mostafa Mohamed Ahmed Abdallah penalty was the difference between the two on that occasion, and victory for either here would be a huge step towards reaching the knockout stage. With analysis from Ange Postecoglou and Jobi McAnuff