First Touch ’26 - New Zealand

The tiny island nation at the edge of the world, New Zealand is famous for the All Blacks, the second most dominant team in rugby history. But in 2026, it’s the All Whites chasing history. In this World Cup Capsule, David Gass charts how a rugby-mad country with an almost entirely amateur domestic soccer setup keeps punching above its weight, from early tours in the 1900s to gritty World Cup appearances in 1982 and 2010 where they finished as the only unbeaten team in the tournament... We walk through Oceania dominance, years of intercontinental playoff heartbreak, and what changes now that the OFC finally has a direct World Cup slot. Highlighting record goal scorer Chris Wood, rising talent Luke Brooke-Smith, and the underdog mindset that produced iconic results like the 1–1 draw with defending champions Italy and their women’s historic win over Norway in 2023. It’s a love letter to a football to in a rugby state.