New Zealand is back in the World Cup after a 16-year drought. Heading into the 2026 tournament, the team sits at No. 85 in the FIFA World Rankings, the lowest number among 2026 World Cup participants, but far from the worst in national team history (No. 161).
Staying inside the top 100 isn’t a terrible spot to be in. New Zealand actually hovered around the top 80 for most of this year, a slight dip from 2025 when the team held the No. 82 spot. Since 2018, New Zealand has steadily climbed the rankings.
Despite a dry spell without a World Cup appearance since 2010, the team managed to avoid dropping out of the top 100. Still, other countries with lengthy World Cup absences, like Czechia, are entering this year’s tournament with a much higher ranking than the All Whites.
How can New Zealand climb the FIFA Rankings?
Climbing the FIFA rankings is simple in theory: New Zealand needs to win, draw, or at least play matches against high-quality opponents, especially teams ranked above them. The most recent win for the national team was on March 30 during the FIFA Series against Chile.
The formula FIFA uses to calculate how many points a country gains for a win or loses for a poor performance is incredibly complex. But basically, the All Whites need to make the most of this 2026 World Cup run to break out of the 80s and push back toward the peak rankings they enjoyed in the early 2000s.
What was New Zealand’s highest ranking?
Historically, New Zealand hit its peak in 2002, reaching No. 47 in the world. Just a year prior, the national team was down at No. 81, but they skyrocketed up the list after winning the 2002 OFC Nations Cup title. The team has cracked the top 50 twice more in its history, landing at No. 49 in both 2003 and 2010.
