World-ranked 20th Iran will take on New Zealand in their opening game of World Cup 2026. The All Whites, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, are clear beneficiaries of FIFA’s expanded 48-team format and will be eager to make the most of their first World Cup appearance in 16 years, under head coach Darren Bazeley.
However, recent results, including a heavy 4-0 defeat to Haiti and a narrow 1-0 loss to England in pre-tournament friendlies, offer little encouragement heading into a daunting Group G opener.
Iran, on the other hand, arrive as firm favorites. Team Melli have qualified for a fourth consecutive World Cup and possess far more experience at this level, with stars such as Mehdi Taremi expected to lead the attack. It could be his last World Cup, and with 60 goals in 105 games for his country he will be desperate to take them into a first knockout stage ever.
With Belgium and Egypt also lurking in Group G, both sides know that a positive result in Los Angeles is crucial. But can Iran cope with the chaotic logistics of having to travel to the United States for their match and then return to Mexico the same day? And the background chatter of a peace deal with the US being signed in the past few hours?
Read on as we show you exactly how to watch Iran vs New Zealand for free from anywhere in the FIFA World Cup 2026.
How to watch Iran vs New Zealand for free
Iran vs New Zealand is available to watch for free in multiple countries, including the UK, Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands, Switzerland and Turkey.
Away from home and can’t watch at no cost? Unblock your free World Cup stream with Norton VPN — more on that below.
Use a VPN to watch Iran vs New Zealand live streams
It’s the World Cup, and if you’re traveling, you might discover your usual Iran vs New Zealand stream is suddenly unavailable due to geo-restrictions.
Don’t worry, that’s exactly where a VPN can help. A virtual private network lets you connect to servers around the world…
