New Zealand announced a 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup finals, set to run from June 11 to July 19 in North America [1, 2]. The squad features veteran defender Tommy Smith, 36, who has 56 international caps and was part of New Zealand’s unbeaten 2010 World Cup group run [3, 4]. Smith's inclusion is notable as he has not played for the national team since 2024 and currently plays semi-professional football for Braintree Town in England’s fifth tier [3, 4].
Chris Wood will captain the squad and is one of two players selected for their second World Cup appearance [1, 3, 2, 4]. The squad includes three goalkeepers: Max Crocombe, Alex Paulsen, and Michael Woud [1, 2]. Defenders named alongside Smith are Callan Elliot, Tim Payne, Tyler Bindon, Michael Boxall, Nando Pijnaker, Finn Surman, Liberato Cacace, and Francis de Vries [1, 2].
Midfield selections include rookie Lachlan Bayliss, based in Australia, along with Joe Bell, Matt Garbett, Eli Just, Ben Old, Alex Rufer, Sarpreet Singh, Marko Stamenić, and Ryan Thomas [1, 2]. Forwards named are Kosta Barbarouses, Callum McCowatt, Jesse Randall, Ben Waine, and Chris Wood [1, 2].
Liberato Cacace was chosen despite an injury-hit season with Welsh club Wrexham, and Francis de Vries is recovering from a five-week calf strain [1, 2]. Tommy Smith left Auckland FC after the 2024/25 season to return to England for family reasons [3, 4].
Smith’s selection sparked debate among fans, with some disappointed Wellington Phoenix defender Bill Tuiloma was overlooked [3, 4]. However, former coach Ricki Herbert praised Smith’s leadership and World Cup experience, calling him "great around the players" and valuing his off-field influence [3, 4]. New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley described Smith as a "cultural architect" vital to squad standards and leadership, saying, "We've definitely got a good depth of players to select from. The last week has been challenging, a lot of difficult conversations. Having to speak to players and let them down ... has been really challenging" [1, 3, 4].
Coach Darren Bazeley officially announced the squad on May 14, and Ricki Herbert publicly supported Smith's inclusion the following day [1, 3, 2, 4]. New Zealand will begin their World Cup campaign on June 11.