New Zealand vs India Football 2026: The Indian men's football team is all set for its first-ever tour of New Zealand. The Blue Tigers will play two international friendly matches against the hosts on November 12 and 15, 2026, during the FIFA international window.
The tour will be an important test for India as New Zealand recently participated in the FIFA World Cup 2026. The All Whites are currently ranked 88th in the FIFA rankings, while India hold the 138th position.
The first match between New Zealand and India will be played at Go Media Stadium in Auckland on Thursday. Both teams will meet again at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch on Sunday.
India head coach Khalid Jamil has announced a 23-member squad for the tour. Players such as Ryan Williams, Manvir Singh, Liston Colaco and Anirudh Thapa will be part of the Indian team. New Zealand, meanwhile, will be led by experienced striker Chris Wood, who is the country's all-time leading goalscorer.
Here is the complete schedule, head-to-head record, live-streaming information and squad details for the New Zealand vs India football matches.
New Zealand vs India Football 2026: Schedule and Match Timings
India will play two matches against New Zealand in November 2026. Both matches will take place in New Zealand.
Related Stories
|
Date
|
Match
|
Venue
|
Time (IST)
|
|
November 12, 2026
|
New Zealand vs India, 1st Friendly
|
Go Media Stadium, Auckland
|
11:40 AM
|
|
November 15, 2026
|
New Zealand vs India, 2nd Friendly
|
One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch
|
8:40 AM
|
The first match will take place in Auckland, while the teams will travel to Christchurch for the second friendly.
Where to Watch New Zealand vs India Football Live in India?
Football fans in India can watch both New Zealand vs India international friendly matches through online streaming.
The live streaming will be available on FIFA+ via DAZN. However, there will be no live television broadcast of these matches in India.
|
Details
|
Information
|
|
Live Streaming
|
FIFA+ via DAZN
|
|
Live Telecast in India
|
Not available, but Indian fans can watch this match at FIFA+ via DAZN
|
|
Match 1
|
November 12, 11:40 AM IST
|
|
Match 2
|
November 15, 8:40 AM IST
|
New Zealand vs India Football Head-to-Head Record
India and New Zealand have faced each other only twice in senior men's international football.
Their first meeting took place at the 1981 Merdeka Tournament in Malaysia, where both teams played out a goalless draw. The second match was played during the 2018 Intercontinental Cup in Mumbai, where New Zealand defeated India 2-1.
India are yet to register a victory against New Zealand in senior international football.
|
Year
|
Tournament
|
Result
|
|
1981
|
Merdeka Tournament
|
India 0-0 New Zealand
|
|
2018
|
Intercontinental Cup
|
India 1-2 New Zealand
|
Overall Record:
|
Team
|
Wins
|
|
India
|
0
|
|
New Zealand
|
1
|
|
Draw
|
1
|
The November 2026 matches will give India another opportunity to record its first victory against the All Whites.
Why Is India's Tour of New Zealand Important?
The November tour is special for Indian football as the national team will visit New Zealand for the first time.
India last travelled to an Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) member nation in 2005, when the team played two friendly matches against Fiji.
The tour is also part of the celebrations marking 100 years of sporting relations between India and New Zealand under the theme '100 Years of Unity Through Sport'.
For the Indian team, these matches will provide valuable experience against a higher-ranked opponent. New Zealand's participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup also makes the series an important opportunity for Khalid Jamil's players to test their performance at the international level.
India Football Team Squad for New Zealand Friendlies 2026
Head coach Khalid Jamil has selected 23 players for the two matches against New Zealand.
The squad includes experienced names such as Anirudh Thapa, Manvir Singh, Ashique Kuruniyan and Liston Colaco. Ryan Williams and Muhammad Suhail are also part of the attacking options.
India Squad:
|
Position
|
Players
|
|
Goalkeepers
|
Hrithik Tiwari, Som Kumar, Vishal Kaith
|
|
Defenders
|
Abhishek Singh Tekcham, Akash Mishra, Bijoy Varghese, Jay Gupta, Mehtab Singh, Pramveer, Ricky Meetei Haobam, Roshan Singh Naorem
|
|
Midfielders
|
Anirudh Thapa, Ashique Kuruniyan, Jithin MS, Lalremtluanga Fanai, Lalrinliana Hnamte, Tomba Singh Haobam
|
|
Forwards
|
David Lalhlansanga, Edmund Lalrindika, Liston Colaco, Manvir Singh, Muhammad Suhail, Ryan Williams
|
Head Coach: Khalid Jamil
Bijoy Varghese, Muhammad Suhail and Liston Colaco were initially part of India's SAFF Championship 2026 squad in Dhaka. They left the tournament to join the senior national team for the New Zealand tour.
New Zealand Football Team Squad for India Matches 2026
New Zealand have announced a 22-member squad for their home matches against India.
The squad is led by experienced striker Chris Wood, who plays for Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League. Wood has scored 45 goals in 95 senior international appearances and holds the record for the most goals and appearances for New Zealand.
The team also includes Matt Garbett, who has returned after missing the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to injury.
New Zealand Squad:
|
Position
|
Players
|
|
Goalkeepers
|
Henry Gray, Alex Paulsen, Michael Woud
|
|
Defenders
|
Tyler Bindon, Francis de Vries, Callan Elliot, James McGarry, Nando Pijnaker, Finn Surman, Bill Tuiloma
|
|
Midfielders
|
Lachlan Bayliss, Matt Garbett, Callum McCowatt, Owen Parker-Price, Corban Piper, Alex Rufer, Matthew Sheridan, Nathan Walker
|
|
Forwards
|
Liam Gillion, Jesse Randall, Logan Rogerson, Chris Wood
|
Head Coach: Darren Bazeley
Three Wellington Phoenix players, Corban Piper, Matthew Sheridan and Nathan Walker, have received their maiden call-ups to the New Zealand senior team.
Indian-origin midfielder Sarpreet Singh will not feature in the two matches. He has remained with his Portuguese club Farense, where he has established himself in the starting line-up.
Conclusion
India's first-ever football tour of New Zealand will be a significant occasion for the Blue Tigers. Facing a team that participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup will give Indian players an opportunity to gain international experience and improve their performance against stronger opponents.
India have not defeated New Zealand in their previous two meetings. Khalid Jamil and his players will now look to change that record in the November friendlies.