New Zealand vs Tahiti Preview & Prediction | 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers (OFC) | Second Round
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New Zealand are the dominant force in Oceanian football but the only team to beat them to the OFC Nations Cup title since Australia moved to the Asian confederation. There is a difference in the standard of the two sides since then.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Friday 11th October, 2024 - UK – 3:00am / Thursday 10th October, 2024 - US ET – 10:00pm / US PT – 7:00pm
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Not televised / US – Not televised
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – FIFA+ / US – FIFA+
NEW ZEALAND PREVIEW: A FORMALITY
Coached by Darren Bazeley, New Zealand have been competitive on the global stage with decent performances at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup as well as at the Olympic Games. They should qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Oceania guaranteed one spot.
In their most recent outing, the Kiwis shared a 1-1 draw with the United States in the United States last month and that does mean they have now suffered just one defeat inside 90 minutes in their last seven matches.
TAHITI PREVIEW: THE PLAYOFF SPOT
The expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup means that not only are Oceania guaranteed an automatic qualifier but they will also have a team head into the intercontinental playoffs with Tahiti one of the teams that will be most likely to achieve that.
Coached by Samuel Garcia, Tahiti are currently ranked 158th in the world by FIFA. The Iron Warriors come into this one having reached the semi-finals of the OFC Nations Cup before losing by five goals to nil to their upcoming opponents.
NEW ZEALAND TEAM NEWS: FULL STRENGTH KIWIS
New Zealand are able to select from a full strength eleven this week with Chris Wood, who missed the summer’s OFC Nations Cup and Olympics, back available after a very strong start to the season for Nottingham Forest.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Crocombe; Payne, Smith, Bindon, Cacace; Stamenic, Garbett; Just, Howieson, Old; Wood
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
TAHITI TEAM NEWS: TEHAU FOR TAHITI
Tahiti, naturally, have quite a limited squad with mostly domestic-based players and their method of attack will simply be to go through captain and experienced key forward Teaonui Tehau.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Tamatai; Degrumelle, Paama, Paama, Heitaa; Bremond, Aroita; T. Tehau, A. Tehau, Kaspard; Shan
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
NEW ZEALAND VS TAHITI PREDICTION
As mentioned, New Zealand hammered Tahiti by five goals to nil in the semi-finals of the OFC Nations Cup as they eventually romped to the trophy with a 3-0 win over Vanuatu in the final. Vanuatu are, alongside Samoa, also in Group B of OFC qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup so this is quite an important contest but the expectation remains that this should be a heavy and comfortable New Zealand victory.
NEW ZEALAND VS TAHITI TIP: NEW ZEALAND TO WIN -1 HANDICAP
