Just one change to All Whites squad as they attempt to secure World Cup spot

1:09 pm on 11 March 2025

All Whites head coach Darren Bazeley. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

All Whites coach Darren Bazeley has made just one change to his squad for next week's FIFA World Cup qualifying play-offs.

Bazeley has selected the same squad that assembled for the Oceania games in November, with the exception of defender Finn Surman.

Following conversations between the All Whites coaching staff and Portland Timbers, Surman has not been selected for this international window, due to the defender recently earning a starting place for the Major League Side.

The MLS schedule continues during the FIFA window, so Bazeley elected not to call up Surman, to prioritise the player's development with his club.

His place in the squad has been taken by Auckland FC forward Jesse Randall.

Randall made his debut in June 2024 at the Oceania Football Confederation Men's Nations Cup, earning four caps and scoring his first international goal as part of the tournament-winning side.

New Zealand take on Fiji in the semi-finals of the Oceania series in Wellington on Friday 21 March. New Caledonia play Tahiti in the other semi-final.

The winners of those two games will meet in the final in Auckland on Monday 24 March, with the champion automatically qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in North America.

The All Whites last played at a men's FIFA World Cup in South Africa in 2010.

"We aren't taking anything for granted, all of the squad are completely focused on what we want to achieve this month," said head coach Bazeley.

"We have been really consistent with a lot of our selections over the last year to drive cohesion in the team, so that when players arrive in camp they know what is expected, especially when we have limited time together and need to perform.