By Chris Hood
Ecuador — the All Whites’ next opponents — are looking to extend their 14-match unbeaten run when they meet New Zealand in New Jersey.
The friendly international on Wednesday November 19, 2025 (NZT), has been arranged to help both sides prepare for next year’s FIFA Men’s World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
New Zealand have qualified for their third World Cup finals, while Ecuador are heading to their fifth tournament.
Here are 10 more things you might want to know about Ecuador ahead of Wednesday’s match …
1. The first meeting between the sides
Wednesday’s match will be the first full international played between New Zealand and Ecuador.
However, in May 2023, the nations met in a warm-up game ahead of the 2023 FIFA U-20 Men’s World Cup in Buenos Aires.
The New Zealand U-20 side that day was captained by defender Finn Surman, and the goalkeeper for the first half was Kees Sims, both of whom are in the All Whites squad for Wednesday’s match.
The Ecuador U-20 side included goalkeeper Cristhian Loor and midfielder Kendry Paez (now with Chelsea), who are in Wednesday’s squad.
If you’re looking for an omen, New Zealand won the U-20 friendly 1-0, with a goal from Ben Wallace.
2. A familiar venue for Ecuador
The Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey (formerly Red Bull Arena) has been used for 11 previous friendly internationals involving Ecuador, including two last year (against Guatemala and Italy).
Ecuador have a record of seven wins and a draw from those games at the 25,000-seater stadium.
Wednesday’s match will be the first by any New Zealand national team — men’s, women’s or age-group — at the ground that serves as home for the New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer) and Gotham FC (National Women’s Soccer League).
Sports Illustrated Stadium, New Jersey.
3. Five-time qualifiers for the FIFA Men’s World Cup
In September, Ecuador finished their 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup qualifying campaign with a 1-0 win over Argentina to finish second and reach their fifth World Cup.
They had a remarkable record over the marathon 18-match schedule, losing only to Argentina on matchday 1 (September 2023) and to Brazil on matchday 7 (September 2024).
They had to contend with being deducted three points following a player irregularity in the 2022 World Cup qualifying series.
In all, they played 15 matches at home in Quito (2,850m altitude) and three in the largest city, Guayaquil (4m altitude).
Ecuador scored 14 goals in qualifying but conceded only five times.
Ecuador’s first appearance at the FIFA Men’s World Cup finals was in 2002 when they beat Croatia to record their first-ever win.
Four years later, in Germany, Ecuador beat Poland and Costa Rica before being eliminated in the last 16 by England.
They reached the group stages in 2014 and 2022, with Enner Valencia scoring three goals in each of the last two finals.
4. Team formation
Head coach Sebastián Beccacece.
Head coach Sebastián Beccacece has shown a preference for 4-4-2 formations since taking the role in August 2024, but adopted 4-2-3-1 for key World Cup qualifiers.
For the 1-0 win against Argentina in September, his 4-4-2 line-up was:
Hernán Galindez (Huracán, Argentina), Piero Hincapié (Arsenal, England), Joel Ordóñez (Club Brugge, Belgium), Willan Pacho (PSG, France), Ángelo Preciado (Sparta Prague, Czechia), Pedro Vite (UNAM, Mexico), Nilson Angulo (Anderlecht, Belgium), Alan Franco (Atlético Mineiro , Brazil), Moisés Caicedo (Chelsea, England), Enner Valencia (Pachuca, Mexico), Gonzalo Plata (Flamengo, Brazil).
5. Ecuador’s emergence as a footballing nation
Ecuador played their first international in 1938, but it wasn’t until they played England in 1970 that they faced European opposition. They played the Republic of Ireland in 1972 in the Mini World Cup in Brazil.
Things started to look up for Ecuador in the mid-1990s as they won their first international trophies, firstly the Korea Cup (1995) and the Canada Cup (1999).
6. Some of Ecuador’s greatest footballers
One of Ecuador’s greatest names is striker Alberto Spencer. He won the Copa Libertadores with Peñarol of Uruguay in 1960, the inaugural year, as well as in 1961 and 1966. He still holds the record for most goals in the Copa with 54, 48 for Peñaroland six for Barcelona).
Interestingly, he switched allegiances, playing international football for Ecuador in 1959 and 1960, Uruguay in 1962 and 1964, Ecuador in 1965, Uruguay in 1967 and finally, Ecuador in 1972.
Since the late 1980s, a number of Ecuadorian players have achieved success on the world stage.
These include Augustin Delgado, Álex Aguinaga, Iván Hurtado, Iván Kaviedes and Ulises de la Cruz .
Delgado (ex Southampton) scored Ecuador’s first-ever goal in the World Cup finals in 2002 when he netted in a 2-1 loss to Mexico.
Aguinaga won 109 caps for Ecuador (1987-2004) and played in eight editions of the Copa America, helping Ecuador to their best finish of 4th when they hosted the tournament in 1993. He played most of his career with Necaxa in Mexico.
Hurtado won a staggering 168 caps for his country (1992-2014). The defender played club football in Mexico, Spain, Qatar and Colombia.
Kaviedes scored 119 goals in 296 matches in his club career, which included nine clubs in Ecuador and seven overseas.
De la Cruz won 101 caps (1995-2010) and played 89 matches for Aston Villa.
Delgado, Hurtado and de la Cruz all went on to have political careers.
7. How Ecuador fare in the FIFA men’s world rankings
Ecuador are currently rated #23 in the FIFA men’s world rankings.
Since mid-1994, their average ranking has been 42nd, with their highest position being 10th, which was achieved in June 2013.
Their lowest-ever rank was 76th (June 1995).
By comparison, New Zealand are currently rated #85.
Since mid-1994, the All Whites’ average rank has been #102, with a highest position of #47 (2002) and a lowest rank of #161 (2016).
8. Ecuadorian players to feature in the English Premier League
Fifteen Ecuadorian players have played in the English Premier League, including Chelsea midfieldere Moisés Caicedo, the Chelsea midfielder who is one of the best in the League.
Defender Piero Hincapié is on loan at Arsenal from Germany’s Bayer Leverkusen.
Camilo Speranza … former youth coach at Auckland City who left for Ecuador. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.
Left back Pervis Estupiñán, now at AC Milan, played for Brighton & Hove Albion in the 2024-25 season.
Antonio Valencia played 325 matches in the EPL (84 for Wigan and 241 for Manchester United), starting his career as a right winger and later converting to a right back.
Ulises de la Cruz played 89 matches for Aston Villa.
9. New Zealand links
Uruguayan Camilo Speranza coached Auckland City’s youth team to their sixth National Youth League title in 2019 before heading to Ecuador, where he worked as an assistant head coach for clubs Guayaquil City and Independiente Junior.
After a spell in Spain with Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol, Speranza joined English Championship Club Watford, where he is currently an assistant coach.
10. A 14-game unbeaten streak
Since Sebastián Beccacece (44) was appointed head coach in August 2024, Ecuador have forged one of international football’s best defensive records.
They are unbeaten in their last 14 matches, having drawn nine of them. Seven of the draws were scoreless, and the side have conceded only four goals while Beccacece, a former right back who never played professionally, took charge.
Squads
Ecuador
Goalkeepers
Hernan Galindez (Aucas, Ecuador)
Moises Ramirez (Independiente del Valle, Ecuador)
Cristhian Loor (Emelec, Ecuador)
Defenders
Angelo Preciado (Sparta Prague, Czech Republic)
Piero Hincapie (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)
Felix Torres (Santos Laguna, Mexico)
Willian Pacho (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany)
Cristian Ramirez (Ferencváros, Hungary)
Joel Ordonez (Club Brugge, Belgium)
Jhoanner Chavez (Lens, France)
Leonardo Realpe (Red Bull Bragantino, Brazil)
Midfielders
Moises Caicedo (Chelsea, England)
Alan Franco (Talleres, Argentina)
Gonzalo Plata (Al Sadd, Qatar)
Kendry Paez (Chelsea, England)
Alan Minda (Cercle Brugge, Belgium)
John Yeboah (Raków Częstochowa, Poland)
Pedro Vite (Vancouver Whitecaps, Canada)
Jordy Alcivar (Independiente del Valle, Ecuador)
Yaimar Medina (LDU Quito, Ecuador)
Denil Castillo (Shakhtar Donetsk, Ukraine)
Patrik Mercado (Barcelona SC, Ecuador)
Forwards
Enner Valencia (Internacional, Brazil) — captain
Kevin Rodriguez (Union Saint-Gilloise, Belgium)
Leonardo Campana (Inter Miami, USA)
Nilson Angulo (Anderlecht, Belgium)
John Mercado (Vilafranquense, Portugal)
Jeremy Arevalo (Emelec, Ecuador)
New Zealand
Goalkeepers
Max Crocombe (20/0) Millwall, England
Kees Sims (debut) GAIS, Sweden
*Nik Tzanev (2/0) Newport County, Wales
Defenders
Tyler Bindon (20/2) Sheffield United, England (on loan from Nottingham Forest)
Michael Boxall (61/1) Minnesota United, United States
Francis de Vries (16/1) Auckland FC, Aotearoa New Zealand
*James McGarry (4/0) Brisbane Roar, Australia
Storm Roux (17/0) Central Coast Mariners, Australia
*Tommy Smith (56/2) Braintree Town, England
George Stanger (0/0) Kilmarnock, Scotland
Finn Surman (14/2) Portland Timbers, United States
Bill Tuiloma (46/4) Charlotte FC, United States
Midfielders
Joe Bell (29/1) Viking FK, Norway
Matt Garbett (35/5) Peterborough United, England
Ben Old (19/2) AS Saint-Étienne, France
*Owen Parker-Price (2/0) Örgryte, Sweden
Alex Rufer (22/0) Wellington Phoenix, Aotearoa New Zealand
Sarpreet Singh (25/3) FK TSC Bačka Topola, Serbia
Marko Stamenić (34/3) Swansea City, Wales
Forwards
Kosta Barbarouses (71/9) Western Sydney Wanderers, Australia
Andre de Jong (11/2) Stellenbosch, South Africa
Eli Just (39/8) Motherwell, Scotland
*Jesse Randall (6/1) Auckland FC, Aotearoa New Zealand
Ben Waine (27/8) Port Vale, England
*Replacements
Withdrawals
Liberato Cacace (35/1) Wrexham AFC, Wales — injury
Callum McCowatt (28/4) Silkeborg IF, Denmark — injury
Alex Paulsen (5/0) Lechia Gdańsk, Poland (on loan from AFC Bournemouth) — injury
Ryan Thomas (23/3) PEC Zwolle, Netherlands — injury
Unavailable
Tim Payne (47/3) Wellington Phoenix, Aotearoa New Zealand
Chris Wood (88/45) Nottingham Forest, England
How to watch the game
The game will be available live and free on FIFA+ as well as TVNZ, official broadcaster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Fixture
Game to be played on Wednesday November 19, 2025 (NZT)
Ecuador v New Zealand
Sports Illustrated Stadium, Harrison, New Jersey, 2pm (NZT)
Chris Hood
Chris Hood is a Blenheim-based long-time follower of football.
This story was first published on November 18, 2025.