Nottingham Forest’s in-form striker Chris Wood is setting his sights on making history with New Zealand at the 2026 World Cup, as the team looks to secure qualification from the Oceania region.
New Zealand, favourites to advance, aim to reach the tournament for only the third time after appearances in 1982 and 2010, during which they failed to win a match in six attempts.
Wood, who captains the team, believes this squad has the potential to change that.
“Our goal is to win a game and progress out of the group stages,” the 33-year-old told Radio New Zealand. “The squad is getting bigger and better, with players proving themselves in top leagues.”
Wood has been in red-hot form, scoring 18 Premier League goals this season and pushing Forest into an unexpected third-place position—potentially securing Champions League football.
Other key New Zealand players in Europe include Marko Stamenic (Olympiacos), Tyler Bindon (Reading), and Matt Garbett (Breda).
Oceania is guaranteed an automatic spot with the World Cup expanding to 48 teams. New Zealand must first defeat Fiji on Friday before a decisive qualifier against either New Caledonia or Tahiti on Monday.
“This is one of the best teams we’ve ever had,” said Wood, who has netted 41 goals in 80 caps for his country. “But we have to prove it on the pitch, and making a World Cup is the way.”
