THE ALL WHITES:

4K-5.8MIL

Jun 16, 2026

Another draw from yesterday's slate of matches, except this one was fun. No nation arrives in North America with less to prove than New Zealand. The All Whites are the lowest-ranked nation in attendance (85th), and they couldn’t look more amped up to be here.

This is only their third World Cup, and a first since that unbeaten 2010 run in South Africa, so there’s really not a whole lot of expectation draped on this side. They've been handed the chance to compete with Iran, Egypt, and Belgium (9th in the world), and frankly, nobody outside their home country expects results.

But that's the beauty of it. That’s the whole point, isn’t it? Enjoy the moment and make names for yourselves.

When Tim Payne gained notoriety on Instagram, the squad seemed to join in on this happy-go-lucky vibe that set in at camp. A squad with some experience, half of them with a quarter-century of caps or more, playing for their privilege of participating in the best sporting tournament on earth. A 2-2 with Iran gives the All Whites a huge boost in confidence heading into their match with Egypt on the 21st.

It’s so fun to watch countries of this size and FIFA ranking go at it in the group stage because they’re the ones who produce the moments of magic that no one ever forgets.

Lowest ranked on paper, yes, but in spirit, support, and belief, the boys from New Zealand are richer than most.

🇳🇿 ⚔️

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