New Zealand Qualifies for 2026 World Cup

New Zealand's football team, the All Whites, secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a decisive 3-0 win over New Caledonia in Auckland. Key players Michael Boxall and Kosta Barbarouses scored during a second-half surge, with Elijah Just adding a late goal to seal the team's third World Cup appearance, following their participation in 1982 and 2010. The match was challenging, with New Caledonia's defense holding firm until Boxall's breakthrough header. Chris Wood, who was instrumental in reaching the final with a hat trick against Fiji, left the match early due to injury. The victory marks the first time Oceania has an automatic berth in the World Cup finals, eliminating the need for intercontinental playoffs.