The All Whites demolished Fiji 7-0 in the Oceania qualifying semifinal at Sky Stadium, led by captain Chris Wood’s hat-trick of headers.
The big win secured New Zealand a spot in Monday’s final against New Caledonia at Eden Park, with a place at the 2026 World Cup on the line. Wood, who scored three goals in just an hour, was instrumental, alongside standout performances from Sarpreet Singh and Marko Stamenic.
Fiji, missing talisman Roy Krishna, struggled to mount any challenge as New Zealand’s class shone through. Even with a potential playoff safety net, the All Whites are poised to secure their third World Cup appearance.