Fixture: Iran vs New Zealand
Tournament: Round 1 – FIFA World Cup 2026
Date/Time: 05:00 GMT +4  16 th June
Arena: SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA)


Match Preview :

The Iran vs New Zealand match will take place on 16 June at SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA) as part of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Both teams enter this fixture with high motivation, knowing that every point can be crucial in the battle for qualification to the knockout stage.

A positive result could have a significant impact on the group standings and each team’s chances of advancing in the tournament.

The FIFA World Cup is the most prestigious competition in international football, where every match carries enormous importance. Both sides will be looking to make the most of their strengths and take another step toward a successful campaign.

Iran will aim to control possession and create scoring opportunities, while New Zealand will focus on maintaining a solid defensive structure and taking advantage of their chances on the counterattack.

With so much at stake, neither team will want to leave the field empty-handed. The players are expected to give their all in pursuit of a valuable result that could have a significant impact on their World Cup campaign.


At this stage of the tournament, every match matters, and the players are expected to give everything on the pitch in pursuit of a valuable result. A strong performance could provide important momentum and confidence heading into the upcoming fixtures.

Fans can expect an exciting and competitive encounter, as both teams possess talented players capable of making the difference in key moments.

Iran are considered the favorites, but New Zealand will certainly fight hard to achieve a positive result and improve their chances of reaching the next round.


 

Probable Lineups

Iran:

Goalkeeper:  Alireza Beiranvand, Payam Niazmand, Hossein Hosseini.

Defender:  Ehsan Hajsafi, Milad Mohammadi, Ramin Rezaeian, Hossein Kanaanizadegan, Shojae Khalilzadeh, Saleh Hardani, Ali Nemati, Aria Yousefi.

Midfielder:  Alireza Jahanbakhsh (captain), Saeid Ezatolahi, Saman Ghoddos, Mehdi Torabi, Rouzbeh Cheshmi, Omid Noorafkan, Mohammad Mohebi, Mohammad Ghorbani, Amirmohammad Razzaghinia, Hadi Habibinejad.

Forward:  Mehdi Taremi, Mehdi Ghayedi, Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh, Ali Alipour, Kasra Taheri, Dennis Eckert.

Coach:  Amir Ghalenoei

 

 

 

 

New Zealand:

Goalkeeper:  Max Crocombe, Alex Paulsen, Michael Woud.

Defender:  Tim Payne, Francis de Vries, Tyler Bindon, Michael Boxall, Liberato Cacace, Nando Pijnaker, Finn Surman, Callan Elliot, Tommy Smith.

Midfielder:  Joe Bell, Matthew Garbett, Marko Stamenić, Sarpreet Singh, Elijah Just, Alex Rufer, Ben Old, Callum McCowatt, Ryan Thomas, Lachlan Bayliss.

Forward:  Chris Wood (captain), Kosta Barbarouses, Ben Waine, Jesse Randall.

Coach:  Darren Bazeley 

 

 

LiveonScore Prediction:

1. Iran to win

2. Both Teams to Score – No

3. Under 2.5 Goals