JAKARTA - Iran started their steps at the 2026 World Cup by facing New Zealand in the opening match of Group G at the SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, United States, Tuesday, June 16 WIB. This match is crucial for both teams who are both hunting for new history, namely qualifying for the World Cup knockout stage for the first time.
On paper, Iran comes with the status of the favorite. The team coached by Amir Ghalenoei ranks 20th in the FIFA world rankings and has much more experience than New Zealand, which is outside the top 80 in the world. However, various non-technical issues that accompany Team Melli's journey to the tournament still keep this opening match a number of questions.
Iran are appearing for the seventh time in the World Cup finals. Despite being one of Asia's main powers in the last two decades, they have never gone beyond the group stage. The opportunity to change the record is open in the 2026 edition after the new format of the tournament expands the number of participants to 48 teams and opens up greater opportunities for the third-best ranked team to qualify for the last 32.
Iran's journey
Iran's journey to North America is impressive. They secured an early ticket through the Asian qualifiers and showed convincing performances in a number of test matches ahead of the tournament. In the last three matches, Iran recorded a winning streak over Gambia 3-1, Costa Rica 5-0, and Mali 2-0. In total they scored 10 goals and only conceded once.
However, Iran's preparations were not entirely smooth. The diplomatic situation that affected the team's mobility made them have to face logistical challenges during the group stage. This factor has the potential to affect the physical recovery of players, especially if the match takes place with high intensity.
On the other hand, New Zealand is returning to the world's biggest football stage after missing the last three editions. The All Whites' last appearance was at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa when they recorded three draws and became the only unbeaten team throughout the tournament, although they failed to qualify from the group stage.
New Zealand's return to the World Cup is the result of their dominance in the Oceania region. However, the performance ahead of the tournament does not give much optimism. Darren Bazeley's team only won two victories in the last 11 matches. They even swallowed nine defeats in that period, including a crushing 0-4 defeat from Haiti and a 0-1 defeat from England in a friendly match this month.
Productivity is the main problem for the All Whites. In six of the last nine defeats, they failed to score. The statistics show that there is still a fairly wide gap in quality compared to other teams in the final round.
The competition in Group G is also expected to be tight. In addition to Iran and New Zealand, this group is inhabited by Belgium and Egypt. With the strength of Belgium which is still the favorite of the group and Egypt which has high individual quality, the opening match is very important for Iran and New Zealand to maintain the opportunity to qualify.
In terms of World Cup history, Iran has a richer experience. They have appeared in the 1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022, and now 2026 editions. Meanwhile, New Zealand has only recorded a third appearance after appearing in 1982 and 2010.
The record of meetings also favors Iran. In the last meeting of the two teams, Iran managed to win convincingly with a score of 3-0. Even though the match has been going on for quite some time, the result remains an indicator of the difference in quality between the two countries.
Iran's main attention will be on Mehdi Taremi. The 33-year-old striker has collected 60 international goals from more than 100 appearances with the national team. His sharpness is an important asset for Team Melli to dismantle the opponent's defense.
In addition to Taremi, Iran also has a number of experienced players such as Saman Ghoddos, Saeid Ezatolahi, Shoja Khalilzadeh, and Mohammad Mohebi. The combination of experience and solid game organization is the main strength of the Asian team.
New Zealand are pinning their hopes on their captain and main striker, Chris Wood. The Nottingham Forest striker has scored 45 goals in 90 international matches. However, a knee injury that kept him out for a long time last season raised questions about his fitness ahead of the opening match.
In the midfield, Marko Stamenic and Joe Bell will be the All Whites' game engine. Meanwhile, Michael Boxall is expected to be able to lead the back line against Iran's attack pressure.
Iran is expected to appear with an attacking approach through a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 scheme that relies on quick movement from both sides of the field. On the other hand, New Zealand is likely to play more pragmatically with a low defensive block while waiting for counterattack opportunities that rely on Chris Wood's ability in the air duel.
Experience, individual quality, and momentum are the main differentiators ahead of this match. However, the pressure of the opening match and the big opportunities that open up through the new World Cup format make the match predicted to be tighter than what is seen on paper.
Prediction
Iran entered the match with a much better capital. They have a sharper front line, mature game organization, and experience in facing strong opponents at the international level. The presence of Mehdi Taremi gives a different dimension in finishing that many Asian teams do not have.
New Zealand still has a number of advantages. The physicality of the players, the ability to duel in the air, and Chris Wood's experience can be a threat, especially in dead ball situations. However, their biggest weakness lies in the consistency of the game and the low goal productivity over the past year.
In terms of squad quality, Iran is superior in almost all lines. Their midfield is more creative, the defense is more experienced, and the front line has a more complete variety of attacks. New Zealand will likely focus on defending and trying to score goals through counterattacks.
The match scenario is expected to show Iran dominating possession from the start. If they are able to score early, Team Melli has the potential to control the course of the match. On the other hand, the longer the score remains tied, the greater the opportunity for New Zealand to take advantage of the psychological pressure that haunts its opponent.
Overall, Iran has enough quality to overcome various challenges off the pitch and start the tournament with a positive result.
Prediction: Iran 2-0 New Zealand.
Predicted Starting XI
Iran
Alireza Beiranvand; Ali Rezaeian, Shoja Khalilzadeh, Hossein Kanaani, Ehsan Hajsafi; Saeid Ezatolahi, Mohammad Razzaghinia; Mohammad Mohebi, Saman Ghoddos, Mehdi Ghayedi; Mehdi Taremi.
New Zealand
Max Crocombe; Tim Payne, Finn Surman, Michael Boxall, Liberato Cacace; Joe Bell, Marko Stamenic, Matthew Garbett; Sarpreet Singh, Elijah Just, Chris Wood.
Match Schedule
2026 World Cup Group G
Iran vs New Zealand
SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, United States
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Kick-off 08.00 WIB
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