All Whites keeper Mark Paston celebrates victory with his team-mates after their victory over Bahrain, Wellington, 2009. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
All Whites v Fiji (World Cup qualifier)
Kick-off: 7pm Friday 21 March
Sky Stadium, Wellington
Live blog updates on RNZ Sport
The All Whites have their best opportunity to qualify for another FIFA World Cup when they start the Oceania play-offs in Wellington on Friday night.
New Zealand play Fiji in one semi-final while New Caledonia play Tahiti in the other semi-final.
Read more:
All Whites v Fiji, FIFA World Cup Qualifier: what you need to know
The winner of the Oceania final in Auckland on Monday will gain an automatic spot at the finals in North America next year.
To reach the 1982 finals the All Whites played 15 games in the qualification process and had to beat China in Singapore to complete their road to Spain. To qualify for the 2010 tournament in South Africa, New Zealand's final hurdle was to beat Bahrain 1-0 in the second leg of their Intercontinental play-off in Wellington.
Those play-off games have become two of the most historic moments in New Zealand football.
This time the path to the finals is so much more straightforward. The All Whites are ranked 89 in the world, Fiji 148, New Caledonia 152 and Tahiti 153.
New Zealand are favourites to progress from Oceania and that presents some issues.
The All Whites are seldom the favourites in any game and striker Chris Wood said taking on that favourites tag will require a few adjustments for his side.
"I think mentally it does, footballing-wise it's pretty normal," Wood told RNZ.
"Mentally you have to change a bit, playing like favourites mean teams set up differently and so we have to take that challenge on."
From left: Tahiti captain Teaonui Tehau, New Caledonia captain César Zeoula, New Zealand captain Chris Wood and Fiji captain Filipe Baravilala ahead of Oceania World Cup qualifiers, Wellington 2025. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Wood was a member of the 2010 squad, coming on as a substitute in the three games New Zealand drew in pool play.
Defender Alex Rufer was a young lad in the stadium in Wellington when the All Whites qualified for the 2010 finals.
"I was 12 years old and I was sitting in a box in the stadium with my family and it was a night I will always remember," Rufer said.
"Even before then I always wanted to represent New Zealand and now we're playing here in a semi-final to qualify for a World Cup, there is nothing better."
Rufer's father Shane and his uncle Wynton both played for New Zealand, with Wynton a key member of the 82 squad.
Fellow defender Tommy Smith was also a member of the 2010 squad, when half of the team were still amateurs.
Smith, who plays for Auckland FC in the A-League, said all the players now have big match experience from around the world.
"Most of the leagues they're in - they're playing for their livelihood, promotion-relegation so the pressure is always there.
New Zealand head coach Darren Bazeley and striker Chris Wood. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
"Obviously this is slightly different, the carrot is a World Cup - the biggest stage in world football but the guys are high level performers, laser focused and want to get the job done."
What makes it easier for the All Whites this time is that the Oceania winner gets direct entry to the 2026 finals in North America, while the loser in the final must go to an intercontinental play-off.
New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley said with everything in their favour, it was his job to make sure they were as prepared as they could be to minimise the risk of an upset.
"We have to make sure there is no complacency in the whole environment, staff and players, so everyone is really professional.
"No one is taking anything for granted, we all know it is a game of football and that anything can happen, so it is our job to make sure it all happens in our favour," Bazeley said.
Fiji coach Rob Sherman is realistic about his amateur players coming up against the might of New Zealand.
"It is a big challenge and we have to face the fact that we will be living for long periods of the game without the ball," Sherman said.
"But the game has proven over many many years that the minnows can beat the giants, so we believe that we can do that."
