Portland Timbers defender Finn Surman knows when he takes to the field at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, he’ll need a moment to soak in the magnitude of the feat.

The centre-back is among the 26-man squad called up by coach Darren Bazeley and will join a select group of All Whites to have played at a FIFA World Cup.

Next month’s tournament will be just the third time New Zealand has participated at a senior men’s FIFA World Cup after campaigns in 1982 and 2010.

Surman says it’s a massive moment for him.

“It's the pinnacle of world football and to be able to tell myself or to be able to know that I'm going to go represent my country and my family and even Portland at the World Cup is pretty special.

“It's something that I have tried to keep in the back of my head for a long time, and now that it's here, it's pretty hard to keep back. It's just thinking about it when I'm at home and that sort of stuff.

“I do think when I get to the World Cup, hopefully in that first game, I do think I'll take a step back.

“Maybe I'm thinking when we do the anthem or something like that, just to kind of take it all in and then from there, it'll be focused on the game,” says Surman.

The 22 year old earned his 2026 FIFA World Cup call up after working his way into Portland’s starting line-up since signing for the MLS side in 2024 from the Wellington Phoenix.

But he admits it hasn’t come easy.

“It has been a decent road from when I first got here to now and I think that all these different moments like that sort of stuff, you know, when you, if you don't make a squad or you're on the bench or something like that, it does, I guess, build a bit of character.

“You have to go through those times to get the good times, so I think that it's really easy to learn from that and make sure you stay professional and then you'll get what you deserve essentially, I think.”

With two years of experience now under his belt in the MLS, he says his time playing in the United States could have a role in helping the All Whites make history in North America and qualify for the knock-out stages.

“In our national team, we have a ton of leaders and players with leadership qualities, so we have kind of a, not a saying or a phrase, but like a theme kind of thing where it's like we want to have a leader at every bend, so we really encourage leadership within our group and a shared leadership kind of aspect.

“So yeah, that sort of stuff I will be able to give the boys one or two insider tips, I guess, on what it's like playing on the West Coast and in summer here in the States and I guess in Vancouver, so yeah, it helps a little bit, but nothing crazy.”

16 June 2026 

KO 1pm 

IR IRAN VS NEW ZEALAND 

Los Angeles Stadium 

Los Angeles, California, USA 

22 June 2026 

KO 1pm 

NEW ZEALAND VS EGYPT 

BC Place 

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 

27 June 2026 

KO 3pm 

NEW ZEALAND VS BELGIUM 

BC Place 

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 

Article added: Tuesday 26 May 2026