New Zealand Football have confirmed a blockbuster All Whites fixture ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, taking on England (FIFA Rank 4), one of the favourites for the tournament, in south Florida, USA.  

The match will be played on Sunday 7 June NZT (Saturday 6 June local time), with the venue and kick-off time to be announced in due course. 

The game will see the All Whites face their highest-ranked opponent in 17 years, coming face to face with The Three Lions for the first time since 1991, and for just the third time in history. 

Head coach Darren Bazeley said:

“Our strategy over the last year has been to take on top-ranked sides to ensure we are in the best place to perform at the tournament, and this match gives us a final opportunity to really test ourselves against one of the favourites. 

“England are a great side with big names all over the pitch, but we want our players to face that type of challenge so we can work collectively to find solutions against top teams. 

“This match should be a great occasion but also a critical part of our final preparation before we face Iran in Los Angeles at the FIFA World Cup 2026.”

New Zealand Football CEO Andrew Pragnell said:

“2026 is already a huge year for the game but this match against one of the biggest and strongest teams in the world is a fantastic addition. 

“First and foremost this game presents a performance challenge which the team wanted to take on to make sure they are in the best place to perform so that was our priority, but we also know Kiwis love facing England in any sport so this should be a great match. 

“This match highlights the significance of our international team strategy over the last few years where we play the full cycle, every international window and increasingly against top tier ranked nations.” 

Prior to departing for the FIFA World Cup 2026 the All Whites will play two home games in March in Aotearoa New Zealand as part of the FIFA Series 2026. 

On Friday 27 March the All Whites will face Finland, the first men’s UEFA side to play in Aotearoa New Zealand in over 30 years, followed by Chile on Monday 30 March. 

Both games will be played at Eden Park in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland kicking off at 7pm. 

Book tickets from Ticketek.

Article added: Thursday 12 February 2026