The host venues for the final stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 – OFC Qualifiers have been confirmed, with games set to be played at Sky Stadium in Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington, and Eden Park in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, in March 2025.
The two semi-finals will take place at Sky Stadium on Friday 21 March, kicking off at 3pm and 7pm.
The final, where the winner will secure direct entry to the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Canada, Mexico, and the USA, will take place at Eden Park on Monday 24 March, kicking off at 7pm.
The losing finalist will be entered into a play-off match against a country from another FIFA confederation to have a second opportunity to fight for their place at the tournament.
The four teams that take part in the semi-finals will be decided following the final two rounds of group games, set to be played in the November FIFA window in Aotearoa New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
Following a 3-0 win over Tahiti in the first round of games, the All Whites face Vanuatu at FMG Stadium Waikato in Kirikiriroa Hamilton on Friday 15 November (KO 7:30pm), followed by Samoa at Go Media Stadium in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland on Monday 18 November (KO 7:30pm).
New Zealand Football CEO Andrew Pragnell highlights the significance of these games being played in Aotearoa:
“It is an honour to host these incredibly significant games in New Zealand and all going well over the week ahead, we will bring together our professional players from around the globe to compete on the international stage as the final hurdle for teams from Oceania to qualify for the biggest sporting event in the world.
“We saw Kiwis turn out in their thousands for the FIFA Women’s World Cup last year, so we look forward to welcoming fans to these games which are the most significant men’s matches played in this country since 2017.
“The All Whites qualifying for the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 2010 would have a transformational impact on the game in Aotearoa, so we are doing everything we can to ensure the team are in the best place to perform and call on fans across the country to get behind them.
“If all goes to plan this week, these games will present a further opportunity for our All Whites to play at home and connect with our fans.
“Bringing our senior national teams home has been a huge part of our wider strategy, with our senior football and futsal teams having played at home 28 times across Auckland, Napier, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin in the past three years.
“This week we bring the All Whites to Hamilton for the first time ever for a full international fixture, and we look forward to continuing to move the team around the country, taking games back to Christchurch as soon as the new stadium is complete.”
Tickets for the semi-finals and final will go on presale to New Zealand Football’s Football Whānau on 21 November 2024.
General sale for the games will be on 28 November 2024.
Tickets for the November fixtures in Auckland and Hamilton can be purchased now from https://premier.ticketek.co.nz/shows/show.aspx?sh=NZF2024
Article added: Monday 11 November 2024
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