Iran vs New Zealand Prediction & Picks - World Cup
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by Bradley Gibbs | in World Cup Picks
On Monday evening, in California, the second game in Group G sees Iran and New Zealand lock horns. Both teams will be keen to make a promising start to life in what is a tough group.
In recent times, the Iranians have become a rather constant presence on the world stage, featuring at the World Cup in 2014, 2018 and 2022. However, they’ve never made it beyond the group stages. Advancing beyond the groups is also something that has proven to be beyond New Zealand, who’re playing on the biggest stage of all for the first time since 2010.
If we really think about it, although both teams will likely see it as contest to take points from, given the disparity in the rankings, this is a very winnable game for the Iranians, who have shown far more offensive quality than their opponents in recent times, so much so that they’re worth betting on to emerge victorious at odds of -115.
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Iran vs New Zealand Form
Table
| Teams | Pts | P | W | D | L | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
|
4
|
1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -6 |
Iran and New Zealand Latest Matches
3/6 (50%)
2/6 (33%)
1/6 (17%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
Jun 4, 2026 - International Friendlies
May 29, 2026 - International Friendlies
Mar 31, 2026 - International Friendlies
Mar 27, 2026 - International Friendlies
Nov 18, 2025 - International Friendlies
Nov 13, 2025 - International Friendlies
4/6 (67%)
1/6 (17%)
1/6 (17%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
Jun 4, 2026 - International Friendlies
May 29, 2026 - International Friendlies
Mar 31, 2026 - International Friendlies
Mar 27, 2026 - International Friendlies
Jun 10, 2025 - World Cup
Mar 25, 2025 - World Cup
2/6 (33%)
2/6 (33%)
2/6 (33%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
Nov 18, 2025 - International Friendlies
Nov 13, 2025 - International Friendlies
Oct 10, 2025 - International Friendlies
Jun 5, 2025 - World Cup
Nov 19, 2024 - World Cup
Nov 14, 2024 - World Cup
1/6 (17%)
0/6 (0%)
5/6 (83%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
Jun 6, 2026 - International Friendlies
Jun 2, 2026 - International Friendlies
Mar 30, 2026 - FIFA Series
Mar 27, 2026 - FIFA Series
Nov 18, 2025 - International Friendlies
Nov 15, 2025 - International Friendlies
3/6 (50%)
0/6 (0%)
3/6 (50%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
Mar 30, 2026 - FIFA Series
Mar 27, 2026 - FIFA Series
Sep 9, 2025 - International Friendlies
Jun 10, 2025 - International Friendlies
Jun 7, 2025 - International Friendlies
Mar 21, 2025 - World Cup
0/6 (0%)
1/6 (17%)
5/6 (83%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
Jun 6, 2026 - International Friendlies
Jun 2, 2026 - International Friendlies
Nov 18, 2025 - International Friendlies
Nov 15, 2025 - International Friendlies
Oct 14, 2025 - International Friendlies
Oct 9, 2025 - International Friendlies
Iran - New Zealand: Form Analysis
When they lost to the Nigerians back in March, Team Melli appeared to be limping towards this tournament, but they’ve since turned things around, winning three out of three, which means that they should take to the field at SoFi Stadium feeling confident. They certainly delivered a confident display to get the better of Mali in their final warm-up game, winning by two goals to one, while they looked in good condition when beating Gambia and Costa Rica in convincing fashion before that.
Sure, they only conceded one goal in that last game, but they failed to land a glove on the Three Lions.
For New Zealand, the preparation campaign wasn’t exactly pleasing, with the All Whites taking a hammering from Haiti, before losing to England without ever really getting competitive. Sure, they only conceded one goal in that last game, but they failed to land a glove on the Three Lions, which doesn’t exactly point towards them making much headway over the next few weeks.
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Iran against New Zealand Lineups: Starting 11
Formation : 4 - 4 - 2
Formation : 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Substitutes
P. Niazmand
H. Hosseini
DefenderH. Kanani
D. Iri
E. Hajisafi
S. Hardani
MidfielderR. Cheshmi
M. Torabi
A. Razaghinia
M. Ghorbani
A. Jahanbakhsh
ForwardD. Dargahi
A. Alipour
A. Hosseinzadeh
M. Ghayedi
M. Woud
A. Paulsen
DefenderC. Elliot
F. De Vries
N. Pijnaker
T. Bindon
T. Smith
MidfielderL. Bayliss
B. Old
R. Thomas
A. Rufer
ForwardK. Barbarouses
B. Waine
J. Randall
Iran & New Zealand Squad Analysis
Iranian head coach Amir Ghalenoei probably won’t make too many changes from the team that defeated Mali recently. Mehdi Taremi is the man that this team is built around, so expect to see the Olympiacos forward feature prominently, while former Brentford midfielder Saman Ghoddos is also expected to be a key player. Veteran defender Ramin Rezaeian, who scored as a substitute against Mali, could come into the starting XI to provide some extra experience at the back. The experienced Alireza Jahanbaksh will likely miss out having recently been nursing an injury.
New Zealand’s main man is without a doubt Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood, who will be asked to shoulder much of the scoring responsibility at this tournament.
New Zealand’s main man is without a doubt Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood, who will be asked to shoulder much of the scoring responsibility at this tournament. Experienced defender Michael Bozall, who knows all about playing stateside, is another key cog in the New Zealand machine, while Scottish Premiership winger/forward Elijah Just is one of those who will be expected to create chances for the All Whites.
Most goals and assists
Iran
New Zealand
R. Rezaeian
(2 Goals)
E. Just
(3 Goals)
R. Rezaeian
(1 Assists)
C. Wood
(2 Assists)
Iran - New Zealand Key Points
- The Iranians come into the tournament off the back of a solid 2-0 win last time out.
- The Iranians have now won three games on the bounce ahead of the World Cup.
- The All Whites lost each of their warm-up games without scoring a goal.
- The All Whites have scored in just one of their last five games.
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Our Iran vs New Zealand Prediction
The All Whites are highly likely to adopt something of a low-blocking style here, and they may be able to frustrate the Iranians for periods of this match, but based on what we've seen from both nations in recent times, it would be a surprise if Team Melli didn't break through sooner or later. It is the Iranians who've shown the better ability to score goals and grind out wins, so much so that they're worthy of stronger support, leaving odds of -115 to look every so slightly generous.
Our Iran vs New Zealand Pick: Iran to Win.
Iran vs New Zealand - Other Interesting Picks
Mehdi Taremi to Score
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Iran vs New Zealand match : Frequently asked questions
All tips are fully researched and given in good faith, but profits cannot be guaranteed.
