Eden Park is set for the All Whites’ final two home matches before the FIFA World Cup 2026, beginning tomorrow against Finland.

New Zealand’s largest stadium is the venue for the FIFA Series involving the All Whites, fellow FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers Cape Verde, Finland and Chile.

All the teams have now settled into Auckland ahead of tomorrow’s double header which will see Chile play Cape Verde at 4pm, followed by the All Whites’ clash with Finland at 7pm.

The four teams will be back in action on Monday at the same venue, with Cape Verde playing Finland on Monday at 4pm with the All Whites kicking off their final home match before the FIFA World Cup 2026 against Chile at 7pm.

All Whites coach Darren Bazeley says the team is excited to be back playing again since their last match in November.

“For us we do a lot of travelling around different parts of the world and playing these away games or in neutral venues, so for us to be back in New Zealand with good competitive fixtures, with the crowd as a send-off for the World Cup is a great experience for the players and for us, for family and friends it's a great occasion.

“We always want to try and put on the strongest team on the pitch that we can, we are here to try and win games in football, that's something that over the last few years we have had tough games and we have competed and we have had some good results, but we want to turn performances into results, so we will always put the strongest team we can.

"We have brought a few players in for this squad, for this window and we do need to see them, so I am expecting people to get good game time across the two games.”

The New Zealand coach says it’s not only a great opportunity for football lovers to see the All Whites in action but to also host quality international opposition.

“When you look back over the last two years, the fixtures that we have secured have been amazing, mostly we travel to these games, whether it is an away game, you know, Poland, Norway or the neutral games in America, Colombia, Mexico and Ecuador, those types of games.

"So we have had great fixtures, but we have not really had opportunities to play European or South American teams here in New Zealand, so I think it is a great, the FIFA series has been awesome.

“First game's important, we need to perform and try and get a result, and then it'll be about backing that up, because when you go to a World Cup, you have to be able to back it up and have to be able to perform and perform and perform across that whole tournament.”

Finland’s coach Jacob Friis says his players have acclimatised well to New Zealand despite the vast distance they’ve travelled from northern Europe.

Finland are the first UEFA nation to play in Aotearoa in more than 30 years.

“First of all, they are very excited to participate here, we of course talked with the players before we took the decision of going all the way out here, and we have players that have been in the national team for many, many years and they have never played against opponents outside Europe, so of course it's a big experience for everybody.

“The biggest appeal was the level of the opponent, that is around our level in the FIFA ranking, that was, as a coach, I can't demand that much, but that was my aim for these two games, and then we got this opportunity and FIFA invited us, New Zealand invited us, so it was, you know, in that sense a win-win, to get an extraordinary experience with this squad, where there are quite many young players, new players, that hopefully will stay with us for a long time, so it is also, in that sense, a different trip than normal, so maybe that can, bring the group a bit tighter.”

It's a similar story for Chile.

National team coach Nicolás Córdova has called up a young squad as the South American side begins a new cycle.

"To be honest we’re really happy to be here in this mini tournament and obviously for the World Cup qualified teams this serves as preparation matches for them. For us, we’re beginning a new process, and these games will serve us well also.

"It must be said, we’ve been very warmly welcomed – the only drawback has been in respect to the different time zone as there’s a 16-hour difference with Chile but to be honest, we’re doing really well and with all the commodities that we need to play a good game on Friday.

"Over the last 6 or so year’s we’ve been trying to lower the average age of the team, more young players are now coming into the team around the 19-to-21-year age mark. I think the most important aspect coming into this period, where we aren’t playing competitive matches, is that we can give these players match experience and prepare them for upcoming qualification matches for the 2030 FIFA World Cup cycle.

"These players will now have real valuable minutes against real teams that’ll be at FIFA World Cups. We want them to now have time to wear the jersey and play in stadiums like this one, in the context of playing at the highest level."

Cape Verde coach Pedro Leitão Brito says their experience in this week's FIFA Series in Auckland will put them in good stead ahead of their maiden FIFA World Cup appearance.

"It means everything to our country Cape Verde, it means we’re going to be on the biggest stage of the football world, our country will be recognised by everyone in the world, and it means that all of our people, we could say, will be present at the FIFA World Cup."

Tickets to the FIFA Series can be purchased here.

All four FIFA Series matches will be available live and free on TVNZ+ and on TVNZ 2.

The FIFA Series matches are supported by the Government’s Events Attraction Package, designed to help enable events of this scale and significance, as well as Auckland Council Events. 

Article added: Thursday 26 March 2026