The All Whites have secured a blockbuster clash against England on June 7, which will take place days before their first match at the tournament.
The fixture will be played in South Florida with the venue and kick-off time to be announced in due course, and give New Zealand thechance to play quality opposition ahead of the tournament.
The game will see the All Whites face their highest-ranked opponent in 17 years, with the Three Lions sitting fourth in the world and one of the favourites to take out the title as they chase their first World Cup since 1966.
It will be just the third time New Zealand have faced England, losing both previous meetings in Auckland and Wellington in 1991.
The two sides were scheduled to play at Wembley Stadium in November 2020, but the match was cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions.
All Whites coach Darren Bazeley believes the match is exactly what his side needs ahead of the World Cup.
“Our strategy over the last year has been to take on top-ranked sides to ensure we are in the best place to perform at the tournament, and this match gives us a final opportunity to really test ourselves against one of the favourites,” Bazeley said.
“England are a great side with big names all over the pitch, but we want our players to face that type of challenge so we can work collectively to find solutions against top teams.
“This match should be a great occasion but also a critical part of our final preparation before we face Iran in Los Angeles at the Fifa World Cup 2026.”
Last week, The Guardian reported that England have experienced difficulties in securing suitable warm-up opponents due to regulations that prevent participants from playing friendlies in the final five days before their first game of the tournament.
England captain Harry Kane. Photo / Getty Images
The World Cup officially kicks off on June 10, with the All Whites’ campaign starting on June 16 against Iran, before facing Egypt on June 21 and Belgium on June 26. They will be based on the west coast of North America during the tournament, but an exact location is yet to be determined.
This will be the All Whites’ third World Cup, having previously qualified in 1982 and 2010.
Next month, New Zealand will face Finland and Chile in a four-team tournament, which also includes Cape Verde.
Captain Chris Wood is unlikely to feature as he continues to recover from a knee injury which has kept him sidelined since October. He underwent surgery at Christmas, and his club, Nottingham Forest, has yet to indicate when he will be fit to play.
New Zealand will be one of the lowest-ranked sides in the revamped 48-nation tournament.
