The 2026 World Cup Group Stage began with a dramatic 2-2 draw between Iran and New Zealand on Tuesday, 16 June 2026, at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran. Elijah Just opened the scoring for New Zealand in the 7th minute, finishing an assist from Chris Wood. Iran levelled in the 32nd minute through Ramin Rezaeian, and the sides went into half-time at 1-1. Just struck again in the 54th minute, again assisted by Wood, to restore New Zealand's lead. Iran responded t...

The opening match of Group Stage at the 2026 FIFA World Cup brings Iran and New Zealand together on Tuesday, 16 June 2026, with kickoff scheduled for 01:00 UTC. This is a Matchday 1 fixture in the group stage, meaning both sides are playing for their first points of the tournament. Iran enters as a nation with a strong World Cup pedigree, having competed regularly on the global stage, while New Zealand returns to the tournament seeking to make a deeper impression than in previous...