New Zealand v Belgium: World Cup 2026 - live
New Zealand has been eliminated from the 2026 World Cup after their final group-stage match against Belgium. Despite the exit, the team's performance is viewed as a promising foundation for future international tournaments.
Why it matters
The analysis reflects on the growth of New Zealand football and the impact of the expanded 48-team World Cup format on smaller nations.
It’s farewell to New Zealand for now, but the expanded 48-team World Cup format means we’ll likely see them again as the Oceania representative at the next tournament in four years’ time.
The article provides a balanced post-match analysis and quotes from the coach.
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