New Zealand national football team All Whites is set to face Iran in their opening Group G match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Tuesday at Los Angeles Stadium. Iran arrives at the tournament in impressive shape, carrying strong momentum under head coach Amir Ghalenoei. The team secured back-to-back wins in their final set of warm-up matches, beating Mali 2-0, Gambia 3-1, and delivering a dominant 5-0 victory over Costa Rica. Their only recent defeat came in March, when they narrowly lost 2-1 to Nigeria in a friendly. New Zealand national football team All Whites will have to be at their best to counter Iran's confident and highly effective attack. Iran head into this opening fixture with a fully fit squad available for selection, with midfielders Roozbeh Cheshmi and Mehdi Torabi recovering from injuries. Saeid Ezatolahi has also overcome a recent foot problem and is expected to feature in midfield from the start. The absence of striker Sardar Azmoun, who was left out of the final squad by Ghalenoei, is a significant talking point. Mehdi Taremi of Olympiacos is set to lead the attack as Iran's main forward option. The match will kick off at 2am BST on Tuesday, 16th May, and fans in the United Kingdom can watch the Iran vs New Zealand match live on BBC One. New Zealand national football team All Whites's performance in this match will be crucial in determining their chances in the tournament. The team's coach will have to make some tough decisions to get the best out of his players. The New Zealand national football team All Whites's fans will be eagerly waiting to see how their team performs against a strong Iranian side. The outcome of this match will have a significant impact on the team's morale and confidence going forward. New Zealand national football team All Whites's players will have to be focused and determined to get a positive result. The team's preparation and strategy will be put to the test in this high-stakes match.