With the FIFA World Cup less than a week away, England will begin their final phase of preparation with a friendly clash against New Zealand in Tampa, Florida, on Sunday, June 7, 2026, at 04:00 WITA (Lombok time, NTB).

England enter this fixture as one of the strong favourites to lift the prestigious trophy, and Thomas Tuchel’s men will aim to return to winning ways here.

Meanwhile, New Zealand also harbour their own World Cup ambitions, though their expectations are understandably lower compared to England’s.

Head-to-Head: England vs New Zealand

• Remarkably, this will be England’s first encounter with New Zealand since two friendly matches over three decades ago in 1991. Unsurprisingly, the Three Lions won both fixtures.
• England breezed through their World Cup qualifying group unscathed, winning every match without conceding a single goal.
• However, since then, they have struggled in friendlies—drawing with Uruguay and losing to Japan in March.
• Despite qualifying comfortably for the World Cup, New Zealand’s subsequent form has been less convincing. They have managed only two wins from eleven matches since qualification and were thrashed 4-0 by Haiti on Tuesday.
• Interestingly, England’s last match on U.S. soil was also a World Cup warm-up in 2014, where they played out a dull 0-0 draw against Honduras. They will certainly look for a more productive outing this time.
• New Zealand’s most notable player for this match is Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood, the all-time top scorer for the All Whites with 45 goals in 89 appearances.

Team News: England vs New Zealand

Although no English players are reported injured, Tuchel’s squad won’t be at full strength as Arsenal’s quartet—Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, and Noni Madueke—have been granted extended rest following their Champions League final appearances.

In Rice’s absence, Elliot Anderson and Kobbie Mainoo may form the midfield partnership, while Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers could start on the right flank, allowing Jude Bellingham to operate centrally.

Rio Ngumoha, Alex Scott, Ethan Nwaneri, Josh King, and Jason Steele have all been training with the team in Florida despite not being part of the World Cup squad, though none are expected to debut from the start on Sunday.

For New Zealand, midfielders Ryan Thomas and Joe Bell both missed the Haiti defeat due to foot injuries, and only Bell has a slim chance of returning against England.

All eleven starters from the Haiti match were rotated, including Chris Wood, who earned his 89th cap, becoming his country’s most-capped player.

The prolific striker, with 45 international goals, is expected to lead the line again in Tampa, while Millwall goalkeeper Max Crocombe could replace Alex Paulsen between the posts.

Predicted Line-ups: England vs New Zealand

England: Pickford; James, Konsa, Guehi, O'Reilly; Anderson, Mainoo; Rogers, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane

New Zealand: Crocombe; Payne, Surman, Bindon, Cacace; Stamenic, Rufer; Just, McCowatt, Randall; Wood

Score Prediction: England vs New Zealand

Sportskeeda’s Prediction

While England may not push themselves too hard in this friendly—Tuchel will likely use it to help his players acclimatize to the Florida heat—they should still secure a comfortable victory.

New Zealand are not to be underestimated and do pose a threat with Chris Wood up front, but their heavy 4-0 defeat to Haiti earlier this week raises concerns.

With that in mind, this should be a straightforward win for England, though not necessarily a revelatory one.

Predicted Score: England 3-0 New Zealand

Sportsmole’s Prediction

England’s March setbacks are unlikely to affect their June and July performances, especially now that most of their first-choice attackers have rejoined the squad.

Similarly, New Zealand’s prolific scoring in the OFC qualifiers won’t count for much against non-OFC opponents, so a dominant win for Tuchel’s side seems inevitable.

Predicted Score: England 4-0 New Zealand

TribunLombok’s Prediction

Sportskeeda expects a 3-0 England victory, while Sportsmole predicts an even bigger 4-0 triumph for the Three Lions. TribunLombok foresees an emphatic 5-0 win for England over New Zealand.

This prediction is based on the evident quality gap between the two teams. England arrive with a star-studded lineup led by Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Kobbie Mainoo, Reece James, and Marc Guehi. Even though some Arsenal players are resting, England’s squad depth remains far superior to New Zealand’s.

Additionally, Tuchel’s squad will be motivated to regain confidence after lacklustre friendlies against Uruguay and Japan. With the World Cup mere days away, Tuchel will demand sharpness and efficiency from his side before the group stages.

New Zealand, while boasting Chris Wood as a key attacking threat, remain inconsistent overall. Their 0-4 loss to Haiti highlighted defensive frailties. If Haiti could create numerous chances, the attacking firepower of Kane, Rashford, Rogers, and Bellingham could prove overwhelming.

Another factor in England’s favour is the match venue—the United States, which also hosts the upcoming World Cup. The Three Lions are expected to approach this game seriously to adapt to the weather, atmosphere, and pitch conditions they will face during the tournament.

Even with potential second-half rotations, England’s bench strength ensures sustained attacking pressure throughout the 90 minutes.

TribunLombok’s Predicted Score: England 5-0 New Zealand. The Three Lions are tipped to dominate from start to finish, creating numerous opportunities and securing a morale-boosting victory ahead of the 2026 World Cup.