By Shane Goldfinch
New Zealand fans are turning up in Vancouver to support the All Whites in their second FIFA Men’s World Cup group game, against Egypt on Monday (NZT).
They’ll get behind their team at the 54,500-capacity BC Place Vancouver, one of two World Cup venues in Canada, who are co-hosting the 48-team tournament with the United States and Mexico.
Main photo: The venue for Monday’s group match between New Zealand and Egypt. Photo credit: BC Place Vancouver.
Becky, Chris and Lukas.
Making the short journey from the United States, Chris, Becky and Lukas are in town for one reason — to support the All Whites in their match against Egypt.
The football-loving family are passionate followers of New Zealand football and have been soaking up the fans zone ahead of the big game.
Adding a personal contention to the occasion, Lukas was wearing a Charlie Beale South Island United shirt. Charlie is his cousin and Chris’s nephew, making for an extra-special connection to the New Zealand football community.
The family are also devoted Liverpool supporters and big admirers of Mohamed Salah, so the prospect of seeing Egypt in action was another highlight of their trip.
Asked about their favourite All Whites players, the answers came quickly: Chris Wood and Finn Surman.
For Chris, Becky and Lukas, this visit is about more than just football. It’s a chance to support the All Whites, celebrate family connections, and create memories together around the game they love.
More All Whites supporters have arrived from London including Rob and Jeff, two football tragics who clearly don’t believe in doing things by halves.
Jeff (left) and Rob.
Jeff married a Kiwi, which meant the All Whites naturally became his second national team.
They both tried their luck first in the NZ Football ticket ballot and came up empty-handed, but like seasoned away-day veterans, they managed to track down tickets through the global sales and will be cheering on the boys at both matches.
These aren’t fair-weather fans either. Both made the trip to South Africa in 2010 to follow the All Whites who were unbeaten during that FIFA Men’s World Cup, proving that once you’re hooked, there’s no turning back.
Back home, they’re devoted supporters of Wellington Phoenix and Middlesbrough FC. Rob takes his Boro fandom to another level — he’s the club fanzine editor and has missed just one Middlesbrough match, home or away, since 1999. Nobody’s quite sure what happened that day, but rumours persist.
Jeff has also ticked off a football fan’s bucket-list achievement this year by completing the 92 Club, visiting every current English league ground. His reward? More football.
Their favourite players are Chris Wood and Ben Waine, though given the number of kilometres they’ve travelled following football teams around the world, they’re probably entitled to nominate themselves for the squad.
Squads
New Zealand
Shirt number/player/caps/goals/club
Goalkeepers
1. Max Crocombe (25/0) Millwall, England
12. Alex Paulsen (6/0) Lechia Gdańsk, Poland, on loan from Bournemouth, England
22. Michael Woud (6/0) Auckland FC, New Zealand
Defenders
4. Tyler Bindon (26/1) Nottingham Forest, England
5. Michael Boxall (64/1) Minnesota United, United States
13. Liberato Cacace (38/1) Wrexham AFC, Wales
3. Francis de Vries (19/1) Auckland FC, New Zealand
24. Callan Elliot (12/0) Auckland FC, New Zealand
2. Tim Payne (53/3) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
15. Nando Pijnaker (25/0) Auckland FC, New Zealand
26. Tommy Smith (56/2) Braintree Town, England
16. Finn Surman (20/2) Portland Timbers, United States
Midfielders
25. Lachlan Bayliss (4/0) Newcastle Jets, Australia
6. Joe Bell (33/1) Viking FK, Norway
19. Ben Old (24/2) Saint-Étienne, France
14. Alex Rufer (26/0) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
10. Sarpreet Singh (29/3) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
8. Marko Stamenić (40/3) Swansea City, Wales
23. Ryan Thomas (26/3) PEC Zwolle, The Netherlands
Forwards
17. Kosta Barbarouses (76/10) Western Sydney Wanderers, Australia
11. Eli Just (45/11) Motherwell FC, Scotland
20. Callum McCowatt (33/4) Silkeborg, Denmark
21. Jesse Randall (12/2) Auckland FC, New Zealand
7. Logan Rogerson (18/1) Auckland FC, New Zealand
18. Ben Waine (31/9) Port Vale, England
9. Chris Wood (captain) (91/45) Nottingham Forest, England
Head coach
Darren Bazeley
Withdrawn
Matt Garbett (38/5) Peterborough United, England (hamstring injury)
Egypt
Goalkeepers
Mohamed El Shenawy — Al Ahly (Egypt)
Mostafa Shobeir — Al Ahly (Egypt)
Mohamed Awad — Zamalek (Egypt)
Defenders
Mohamed Hany — Al Ahly (Egypt)
Omar Kamal Abdelwahed — Al Ahly (Egypt)
Ahmed Ramadan — Ceramica Cleopatra (Egypt)
Rami Rabia — Al Ahly (Egypt)
Mohamed Abdelmonem — OGC Nice (France)
Yasser Ibrahim — Al Ahly (Egypt)
Ahmed Eid — Al Masry (Egypt)
Mohamed Hamdy — Zamalek (Egypt)
Ahmed Nabil Koka — Al Ahly (Egypt)
Midfielders
Hamdy Fathy — Al Wakrah (Qatar)
Marwan Attia — Al Ahly (Egypt)
Emam Ashour — Al Ahly (Egypt)
Mohamed Shehata — Zamalek (Egypt)
Nasser Maher — Zamalek (Egypt)
Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane — Ferencváros (Hungary)
Mostafa Fathi — Pyramids (Egypt)
Mahmoud Hassan “Trezeguet” — Al Rayyan (Qatar)
Forwards
Mohamed Salah — departing Liverpool (England), new club TBC
Omar Marmoush — Manchester City (England)
Mostafa Mohamed — Nantes (France)
Ibrahim Adel — Pyramids (Egypt)
Osama Faisal — National Bank of Egypt (Egypt)
Ahmed Sayed “Zizo” — Al Ahly (Egypt)
Head coach
Hossam Hassan (Egypt)
Fixtures – FIFA Men’s World Cup
Game to be played on Monday June 22, 2026 (NZT)
Egypt v New Zealand
BC Place, Vancouver, 1pm (NZT)
FIFA Men’s World Cup Group G
Team
P
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
New Zealand
1
0
1
0
2
2
0
1
Iran
1
0
1
0
2
2
0
1
Belgium
1
0
1
0
1
1
0
1
Egypt
1
0
1
0
1
1
0
1
Game to be played on Saturday June 27, 2026 (NZT)
Belgium v New Zealand
BC Place, Vancouver, 3pm (NZT)
Shane Goldfinch
Shane Goldfinch is an avid All Whites fan and is the secretary and a board member of the Canterbury-based supporter group, The Centre Circle.
This story was published on June 21, 2026