🛡️
'10
Unbeaten at 2010
Drew all three games in 2010 — the only unbeaten team at the tournament.
ALL WHITESUNBEATEN AT 2010
FILE No. 49CLASS: OUTSIDERSTATUS: THE UNBEATEN DREAM OF 2010WC 2026 · USA·CAN·MEX
☆Oceania's standard-bearer, chasing a first knockout berth.
NEW ZEALAND
The All Whites// the only unbeaten side of 2010 returns, with Wood leading the line
“In 2010 we went home unbeaten. This time we want to go further.”— The view from Auckland
The record
Group stage
Best WC finish
5 (record)
OFC Nations Cups
3 — '82, '10, '26
WC appearances
#85
FIFA Ranking
01 · The Dossier — The Soul
A rugby nation's
football heart
In a country where rugby is king, the All Whites have carved out their own legend — most famously going unbeaten at the 2010 World Cup. As Oceania's lone representative, they return determined to go one better.
2010 · unbeaten+OFC dominance+Kiwi grit+The next step
AucklandThe All WhitesUnbeaten 2010OFC kingsKia kaha
New Zealand stunned the world at South Africa 2010, drawing all three games — including a famous result against holders Italy — to become the only team to leave the tournament unbeaten, even as champions Spain lost a match.
As the dominant force in Oceania, the All Whites win their continental crown almost at will, but the path to the World Cup is narrow — usually a lone qualifying spot. In 2026 they're back, led by Premier League striker Chris Wood, chasing the knockout place that has always eluded them.
02 · The Cabinet — Honours
The record
Oceania's dominant nation, with one of the World Cup's quirkiest claims to fame.
05 · The Legend — The Unbeaten Captain
Ryan Nelsen
He marshalled the defence that drew with Italy and went unbeaten at the 2010 World Cup — Ryan Nelsen, the Premier League centre-back who captained the All Whites' greatest team.
Tough, organised and inspirational, he embodied the Kiwi ideal: a side with no fear of reputations, defending as if its life depended on it.
Chris Wood, a young squad member in 2010, now leads the line for the team trying to better Nelsen's unbeaten legacy — by finally reaching the knockouts.
// The All Whites greats
02
Chris Wood
The modern talisman & record scorer
03
Winston Reid
Scored the famous Slovakia equaliser · 2010
04
Wynton Rufer
Oceania's greatest of the past
NELSEN
Ryan Nelsen
'10
Unbeaten captain
49
Caps
🛡️
The leader
06 · Threat Assessment
⚠ HOSTILE · THE GROUP-G FAVOURITES
The enemy
Group G pits New Zealand against Belgium, Egypt and Iran — all ranked above them. The All Whites' enemy is the knockout ceiling: three World Cups, never past the group, even unbeaten.
Belgium — the seeded favouritesHIGH
The knockout ceilingHISTORIC
OFC-to-WC level jumpREAL
New Zealand specialises in the stubborn draw against the odds. 2026 is about turning unbeaten-but-out into a first-ever World Cup knockout berth.
The story so far
// unbeaten, yet undone
// Group G — the field
Belgium
GROUP G
The seeded favourites — the giant to test in Vancouver.
Egypt
GROUP G
AFCON royalty — a winnable Matchday 2 at home in Vancouver.
Iran
GROUP G
The disciplined Asian side — the opener, and a key clash for points.
04 · The road — The road · WC 2026
Kickoff
12
Days
11
Hours
32
Mins
16
Secs
Until New Zealand's first kick — vs Iran · June 15
07 · The Talisman
Lightning rod
Off the best goalscoring season of his career, Chris Wood is the focal point of everything New Zealand does. The All Whites' hopes of a first knockout berth rest on his finishing.
WOOD
Premier League scorerThe captain & talismanAll-time top scorerNottingham Forest
40+
NZ goals (record)
34
Age at the World Cup
№9
The talisman
A proven Premier League finisher leading the line for Oceania's flag-bearer. “New Zealand's knockout dream lives on his goals.”
The Knockout Meter
// unbeaten-but-out again, or finally through?
The familiar exitFirst knockout ever
Current reading
The proud exit
Stubborn and hard to beat, but ranked below all three group rivals. The knockout breakthrough may stay just out of reach.
08 · Key Power · World Cup 2026
MARKO STAMENIC
The engine · Olympiacos · No. 7
Chris Wood provides the goals; Marko Stamenic provides the legs and drive behind them. A young, energetic midfielder playing Champions League football, he gives New Zealand a modern engine room capable of competing physically with bigger nations. As Wood ages, he's the future — and the key to feeding the talisman.
⚙️
The engine
24
Age at the World Cup
№7
Olympiacos
The last line of the file
In 2010 we went home unbeaten.
This time we want to stay longer.
All WhitesUnbeaten 2010Group GOFC kingsKia kaha
Squad
As of 2026-06-01
Manager
F. Schmid