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Iran v New Zealand team news: Wood and Taremi start

16 June 2026 33 comments
TopMarx TopMarx
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Iran take on a New Zealand in this must-win group G encounter in Los Angeles.

New Zealand, ranked 85th in the world according to FIFA, lost 4-0 to Haiti in a recent June friendly, before suffering a 1-0 defeat to England.

Iran, in contrast, won each of their last three friendlies, including a 5-0 win over Costa Rica in March.

Belgium and Egypt, the two other teams in Group G, played out a 1-1 draw earlier.

Kick-off is at 02:00 BST.

TEAM NEWS

Star striker Mehdi Taremi ($6.1m), with 10 goals and seven assists in qualifying, leads the line for Iran. The 33-year-old Olympiacos forward is on penalties and direct free-kicks and also scored four times in four friendlies leading up to the competition.

Ex-Brentford player Saman Ghoddos ($4.9m), who hit this belter against Burnley back in October 2023, lines-up in midfield.

For New Zealand, all-time leading goalscorer Chris Wood ($6.5m) will be looking to add to his 45 goals for his country. The Nottingham Forest striker spent most the of 2025/26 campaign on the sidelines but returned to fitness before the end of the season, netting against Sunderland and Aston Villa.

A budget-friendly backline includes corner-taking Tim Payne ($3.6m), who earns his 53rd international cap.

LINE-UPS

Iran XI: Alireza Beiranvand, Ramin Rezaeian, Ali Nemati, Shoja Khalilzadeh, Milad Mohammadi, Arya Yousefi, Saman Ghoddos, Saeed Ezatolahi, Mohammad Mohebi, Shahriar Moghanlou, Mehdi Taremi

Subs: P. Niazmand, H. Hosseini, S. Hardani, E. Hajsafi, A. Jahanbakhsh, M. Ghayedi, A. Alipour, H. Kanaani, R. Cheshmi, M. Torabi, A. Hosseinzadeh, M. Ghorbani, D. Eckert, D. Eiri, A. Razzaghinia

New Zealand XI: Max Crocombe, Tim Payne, Finn Surman, Michael Boxall, Liberato Cacace, Joe Bell, Marko Stamenić, Callum McCowatt, Sarpreet Singh, Elijah Just, Chris Wood

Subs: A. Paulsen, M. Woud, F. de Vries, T. Bindon, A. Rufer, N. Pijnaker, K. Barbarouses, B. Waine, B. Old, J. Randall, R. Thomas, C. Elliot, L. Bayliss, T. Smith

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33 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. JohnnyCroat
    • 10 Years
    8 hours, 56 mins ago

    Ornstein thinks Barco (the bargain fullback ex-Brighton) might rock up at Chelsea... we all getting bitten again?

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    1. Holmes
      • 12 Years
      8 hours, 9 mins ago

      he can rock up the bench

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    2. Onz
      • 8 Years
      5 hours, 42 mins ago

      Transfer from the sister club, and signed a 6 year contract. Could be loaned out, or make the bench for a season or two.

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  2. JT11fc
    • 7 Years
    8 hours, 40 mins ago

    Why is Just on my bench?!!?!?!? I forgot I owned him in all the excitement, especially as a Kiwi to not even start him just incase.....ow

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    1. Kroenius
        5 hours, 24 mins ago

        RIP,but is your team for the rest doing ok?

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        1. JT11fc
          • 7 Years
          5 hours, 14 mins ago

          Not bad I dont think, 35 with Mendes, Oreilly, Bruno, Diaz, Olise and Ronaldo left, captain to be decided.
          Howa bout your team?

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          1. Kroenius
              4 hours, 15 mins ago

              30 with Messi,Kane,Luis Diaz,Bruno and 12th men Haaland still to play. Captain still switching(hoping for more than Dest,who's my highest scorer atm but forgot to put captain on so more than 8 of Kimmich and I'm content).

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              1. JT11fc
                • 7 Years
                4 hours, 12 mins ago

                Thats alot of firepower left to play.
                I cant get it into my head that I can switch players out after they play if they dont return haha

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            • Kroenius
                4 hours, 14 mins ago

                Finding a gem like Just and then not playin him is rough.

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        2. JT11fc
          • 7 Years
          8 hours, 39 mins ago

          I benched Just in all the excitement...... as Kiwi thats awful

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          1. JT11fc
            • 7 Years
            8 hours, 38 mins ago

            Hmm, website having a holiday haha

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            1. Ausman
              • 2 Years
              8 hours, 32 mins ago

              Website still in shock after Spain result!

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        3. garcinha
            6 hours, 9 mins ago

            Which player would you prefer to play this matchday? They are both from COLOMBIA.

            Daniel Muñoz vs. UZB
            James Rodríguez vs. UBS

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            1. Holmes
              • 12 Years
              6 hours, 7 mins ago

              Rodriguez, more routes to points and scouting bonus as well.

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            2. Tomsk
              • 5 Years
              5 hours, 44 mins ago

              I’d play Munoz, he’s so attacking. Just a shame he is over 5% owned.

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          • Tomsk
            • 5 Years
            5 hours, 2 mins ago

            Just seen Oyarzabal didn’t touch the ball in the first 30 minutes against Cape Verdi. That’s incredible, just about sums Spain up yesterday.

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            1. Thanos
              • 4 Years
              4 hours, 50 mins ago

              Spain was awful yesterday.

              Not sure what to do about the loaded up Spain players now.

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              1. Tomsk
                • 5 Years
                4 hours, 28 mins ago

                Me too. I own Pedri and he looked completely clueless as to how to unlock the Cape Verdi defence.

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                1. Thanos
                  • 4 Years
                  4 hours, 22 mins ago

                  Entire team was playing tiki taka or that nonsense.

                  Everyone was clueless.

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            2. Kroenius
                3 hours, 30 mins ago

                Happy to at least avoid that landmine,although my Laporte exclusion cuz I was fearful of missing out on the Bonus wouldn't have been bad. Still happy with Dest though.

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            3. SpaceCadet
              • 12 Years
              4 hours, 16 mins ago

              Who seem to be the essentials for MD3? Mbappe, vini and one of doku/ kdb?

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              1. Thanos
                • 4 Years
                4 hours, 15 mins ago

                Doke/KDB - did they play well?

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                1. SpaceCadet
                  • 12 Years
                  4 hours, 12 mins ago

                  Was a tough fixture. Much easier fixture MD2.

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                  1. Thanos
                    • 4 Years
                    4 hours, 2 mins ago

                    Thanks

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                2. Skonto Rigga
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • Has Moderation Rights
                  • 8 Years
                  4 hours, 11 mins ago

                  Just posted Tom's Scout Notes on the Belgium game here, Thanos: https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/2026/06/16/world-cup-fantasy-notes-lukaku-impact-salah-in-the-10-doku-niggle

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                  1. Thanos
                    • 4 Years
                    4 hours, 2 mins ago

                    Thanks SK! Very much appreciated.

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                    1. Thanos
                      • 4 Years
                      4 hours, 2 mins ago

                      Oops SR! 🙁

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                3. Kroenius
                    4 hours, 11 mins ago

                    As a Belgian,KDB was better in 2nd after an overall passionless first half by whole 11 & Doku was lackluster,although Egypt tackled really hard and should've gotten an extra yellow for it. Doku probably just not 100% yet(https://sporza.be/nl/2026/06/16/-geirriteerd-door-ademhalingsproblemen-is-er-toch-meer-aan-de-hand-met-jeremy-doku-na-gestaakte-training~1781571596599/) He might also miss a knockout game due to the birth of his child (https://sporza.be/nl/2026/06/13/mist-jeremy-doku-straks-cruciale-wk-match-rode-duivel-wil-bij-nakende-geboorte-1e-kindje-zijn-op-elke-mogelijke-manier~1781326063645/)

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                4. Kroenius
                    4 hours, 7 mins ago

                    I'm wildcarding M3 and maybe no Mbappe,Norway are quite good and if they are 6/6,he could get rested

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                    1. SpaceCadet
                      • 12 Years
                      3 hours, 40 mins ago

                      Oops, meant MD2

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                5. Tomsk
                  • 5 Years
                  4 hours, 4 mins ago

                  Think Diomande could be good be for MD3 for Ivory Coast v Curacao.

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                  1. Tomsk
                    • 5 Years
                    4 hours, 3 mins ago

                    Oops, was supposed to be reply to above.

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                  2. Kroenius
                      3 hours, 30 mins ago

                      Yeah,him and Saibari are also on my radar

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