After the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final Draw on Friday afternoon, it was time to get to work.
Following the completion of the groupings, a select number of press were invited to the mixed zone to meet with the traveling delegations from different countries. With so many stories available, the initial draw is normally toward the bigger countries, a la Spain, Portugal, etc. Also, with joint-hosting responsibilities, the USA, Mexico, and Canada drew large crowds. But with the biggest and most expansive World Cup ever, with 48 teams (12 more than the last edition), there was plenty to talk about with smaller countries.
New Zealand
The All Whites of New Zealand were placed in Group G during Friday’s Final Draw. Kiwis worldwide were excited to see their country grouped alongside Belgium, Egypt, and Iran, with the first two being loaded with superstars.
“It was an exciting draw; there was a lot going on, they kept us waiting, we were the last team out of the hat, and now we know the group,” said New Zealand’s head coach, Darren Bazeley, sharing his initial thoughts on the draw. “We knew coming in that every game was going to be challenging. But when you look across at some of the other groups, it potentially could’ve been tougher. This is a good group.”
Not just for Kiwis, but for Americans who love football, I asked if any friendlies were planned in the States before the start of the tournament.
“We’ve got games in March that will be in New Zealand, two games in New Zealand, which will be good; great way to send the team off before the World Cup,” Bazeley began. “And then we will plan on having a couple of games in the U.S. pre-World Cup, but they’re to be confirmed.”
Located in Oceania, New Zealand is roughly 6,500 miles away from Los Angeles, California, taking anywhere from 15 hours to a full day of travel. Couple that with the three-hour flight to Vancouver, not to mention wherever their friendlies will be played, that’s a lot of travel in a short period of time. With a big smile and positive demeanor, the New Zealand gaffer didn’t seem shaken at all by my inquisition.
“Ah, not really, I mean, we travel a lot,” he began, shrugging off the concern. “We were in Miami and New York last window, so our players are used to traveling. Most of our players are in Europe, and some are in the States as well. The staff will be traveling longer because we’re all from New Zealand, but New Zealand players are used to traveling. It’s part of our culture, really (laughs). We have to travel.”
New Zealand qualified by winning the Oceania (OFC) qualification tournament back in March 2025, securing the region’s first-ever automatic spot by defeating New Caledonia 3-0.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland was drawn into Path A of the UEFA Play-off, where they will play a single-leg semifinal away against Italy on March 26, 2026. If David were to slay Goliath in this situation, they would face the winner of Wales and Bosnia & Herzegovina five days later. If the Green and White Army were to pull off both victories, they would be placed in Group B, where they would surely fancy their chances against Canada, Switzerland, and Qatar.
“It’s really interesting because we’ve played Switzerland recently, actually, and drew the game 1-1,” said Northern Ireland’s head coach, Michael O’Neill. “We know we would be competitive, and Switzerland’s a very, very good team. Qatar and Canada are less known to us; they play in different confederations, which would be a challenge, but would be a very interesting challenge. I believe that’s a group that, if we can make it here and we can get to the tournament, I believe that’s a group that we certainly stand an opportunity to progress from.”
One thing O’Neill brought up on his own was his appreciation of the fans. He’s keen on rewarding their support with a spot in the World Cup.
“I’d imagine there’s a huge expat population here in North America; it’d be good to give our fans that (qualification) because they’ve been amazing,” he began. “They travel with the team, they always back the team, and through the difficult times as well. These are the times you want to try and reward your supporters, and a World Cup in North America would be fantastic to be a part of. And I know our fans would bring a lot to the tournament if we could get there.”
Sounds From Around the World
Hervé Renard, Head Coach of Saudi Arabia: “It’s up to them. I follow all the games, so show me something if you have the level of the national team. But talking is easy when you play (club level), the national team is not easy.”
Brian Riemer, Head Coach of Denmark: “It’s a historical game for Denmark. We spoke about it before, obviously knowing it was Canada, Mexico, and then America. And with the history we have with Denmark and Mexico in ’86, it was our dream scenario to come back to Mexico and continue that story.”
Amir Ghalenoei, Head Coach of IR Iran: “We were expecting the draw to happen, then decide according to the teams that are available to play. We are going to play with two teams from seat one, and also two teams from seats three and four for the next FIFA international window.”
On Dec. 6, FIFA announced the official World Cup Schedule alongside the groupings. You can see the full schedule for next year’s tournament HERE.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will air coverage on FOX (English) and Telemundo (Spanish). Matches will be available to stream via Fox Sports, Fubo, and Peacock. FIFA+ will offer global access to matches.
-Jon Jones
Cover photo: Andres Hernandez
Darren Bazeley photo: NZ social media
Mixed Zone photos: Jon Jones