Pre-match information
This is considered an opportunity for the Asian representative to aim for the first 3 points in the context that Group G also has the presence of two strong opponents, Belgium and Egypt. The result of the opening match is predicted to greatly affect the race to win tickets to the knockout round.
Iran entered the tournament with certain confidence as they maintained stable form in recent times. Under the guidance of coach Amir Ghalenoei, the West Asian team has won 4, drawn 2 and only lost 1 in the last 7 matches.
Iran's strength lies in international competition experience and a quality squad, notably striker Mehdi Taremi. The Olympiacos striker is expected to continue to play the leading role in the attack in the 2026 World Cup campaign.
Meanwhile, New Zealand won a ticket to the biggest football festival on the planet after an impressive qualifying journey in Oceania with 5 consecutive wins, scoring 29 goals and conceding only 1 goal.
However, coach Darren Bazeley's team will face a completely different challenge when entering the World Cup arena. New Zealand's biggest hope continues to be placed on veteran striker Chris Wood, who has extensive playing experience in Europe.
In terms of squad quality, experience and recent form, Iran is still rated slightly higher than the opponent. The Asian representative is likely to use a 4-4-2 formation with the duo Mehdi Taremi and Yousefi in attack, while New Zealand is looking forward to Chris Wood's scoring ability to look for opportunities to create surprises.
The confrontation between Iran and New Zealand promises to significantly affect the situation in Group G right from the first match of the 2026 World Cup.
