Will Oceania shine at the 2026 World Cup? See who could surprise in the USA

With the 2026 World Cup in sight, the world will be looking at the United States, which will host the tournament together with Mexico and Canada. It will surely be an historic edition, bringing excitement to Oceania for the first time in history with a guaranteed direct spot in the largest soccer event in the planet. But the big question here is, which representative from Oceania will get the spot and see action in American soil?

Follow MLS Multiplex on X (Twitter).

In this article, we delve deep into the qualifying matches and try to bring into limelight those teams that have a real shot in representing Oceania in the 2026 World Cup, which will take place in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.

Oceania's Road to 2026 World Cup in U.S.

Qualifying for the 2026 World Cup got well underway in Oceania, where teams fight for that desired spot to feature in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. The qualification process had a number of phases where teams that usually feature at the lower rankings of the continent, like American Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, and Samoa, have already played their very first round of matches.

These initial rounds are important, but serious business really gets going when the heavyweights such as New Zealand, Solomon Islands, and Fiji join in the fray. The stakes are high, and rightly so, not least because a straight ticket to the US arenas is at stake.

New Zealand: Oceania Powerhouse

When it comes to soccer in Oceania, New Zealand is the first team that is mentioned. The New Zealand squad is the favorite to secure a direct spot at the 2026 World Cup. The All Whites have a great history in OFC competitions and international tournaments with previous appearances in 1982 and 2010.

With players competing in top leagues around the world, New Zealand heads to the qualifiers as the team to beat. Their solid performance in regional tournaments, coupled with a great deal of international experience, make the All Whites the top contender to represent the region at the U.S. in 2026.

Solomon Islands and Other Oceania Teams: The Challengers

While New Zealand is the favorite, other teams in Oceania, like the Solomon Islands, are hopeful of securing their place in the 2026 World Cup. Currently ranked 141st by FIFA, the Solomon Islands are seen as the second-strongest team in Oceania soccer.

The teams, like Fiji and Tahiti, are considered to be outsiders but can still pull up a surprise. Fiji is known for its physical style of play, while Tahiti, once an OFC Nations Cup champion, has sufficient experience to make life difficult for its opponents in the qualifiers.

Oceania Qualifying Format

The Oceania qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup follow a format that favors the higher-ranked teams. The second phase will feature teams such as New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Fiji, and Tahiti between October and November 2024. The top two in each group will advance to the final stage in March 2025. The winner will gain direct entry into the World Cup in the U.S., while the runner-up will try their fate in the intercontinental playoffs.

But while New Zealand is the heavy favourite, soccer in Oceania is never truly predictable. Surprises do occur, and the smaller teams fight with a lot of heart, which makes the qualifiers thrilling right up to the final whistle.

Expectations for the 2026 World Cup in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada

If everything goes accordingly, New Zealand should win that direct spot and go to the 2026 World Cup in the United States. Mostly with their already well-structured team, full of experienced players, the All Whites are ready for another journey to represent Oceania in the world's biggest soccer tournament.

Meanwhile, one should not underestimate the possible performance of other teams of the region: Solomon Islands, Fiji, and Tahiti may still be capable of surprising someone and perhaps even getting through via intercontinental playoffs. In any case, the excitement is guaranteed right to the very end of the qualifiers.