WORLD CUP QUALIFYING CRUNCH TIME

The upcoming international break will see teams from around the world take a decisive step towards North America 2026

- Steve Menary

OCEANIA

New Zealand remain overwhelming favourites to qualify automatically ahead of Fiji, Tahiti and New Caledonia in March's final round

The third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Oceania will represent a final chance for a place on the game's biggest stage for a handful of the region’s veteran stars.

Four teams have made the third round, and New Zealand face Fiji in the semi-final on March 21 with home advantage. Darren Bazeley’s side already have the benefit of playing in Wellington and have been aided further by a debilitating injury to Fiji’s key player.

Roy Krishna, 37, Fiji's all-time top scorer and record appearance maker, injured his anterior cruciate ligament in November playing for his club side Odisha in the Indian Super League.

The absence of Fiji’s talisman is a major blow, and another is an attempt to recruit players from the Fijian diaspora that has been undertaken with help from consultants, the International Football Consultancy.