First Kiwi-Indian set to play for All Whites at FIFA World Cup
Sarpreet Singh has become one of New Zealand's most prominent athletes of Indian heritage.
The All Whites kick off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign against Iran today at 1pm.
When the New Zealand All Whites walk out onto the pitch at Los Angeles Stadium today to face Iran, a monumental chapter in New Zealand sporting history is expected to be written.
Sarpreet Singh, the 27-year-old midfielder from South Auckland, is poised to become the first player of Indian heritage to represent New Zealand at the big-ticket FIFA World Cup.
Singh will likely also be the first player of Punjabi descent to grace football’s biggest stage.
A handful of players of Indian origin have reached the tournament in the past. France’s Vikash Dhorasoo made it in 2006. Nishan Velupillay joined the club when he represented Australia over the weekend.
Singh’s likely debut represents a historic breakthrough for Kiwi-Indians and a proudly unique moment for the worldwide Punjabi community.
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The team selection for this opening match is the most anticipated in years, with heavy focus on coach Darren Bazeley’s starting XI for what is New Zealand's biggest game in 16 years.
Writing from Los Angeles, NZ Herald's football writer Michael Burgess reports that Bazeley already named his team privately to the players three days ago in San Diego to maximize preparation time.
The All Whites kick off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign against Iran today, June 16, at 1pm.
While the official team sheet remains confidential until an hour before the kickoff, Burgess predicts Singh will get the nod in the starting lineup.
Burgess notes Bazeley has remained loyal to Singh, viewing him as the vital creative influence needed in the middle of the park alongside Joe Bell and Marko Stamenic.
Although Singh has been working his way back to full match fitness, starting and playing heavy minutes in the final pre-tournament hit-out against England strongly indicates he is locked into the starting game plan.
For the Kiwi-Indian diaspora, Singh’s presence on the world stage transcends sport. Speaking to RNZ last month ahead of the tournament, Singh expressed immense pride in representing his country.
"I was very happy when the coach told me and I was really, really proud and honoured," Singh told RNZ. He added he felt a deep "responsibility to go on the world stage now and make everyone in the country proud".
His journey to the world stage began in Auckland, where he joined the Wellington Phoenix academy as a teenager. His prodigious talent later took him to European football giants Bayern Munich in 2019, followed by stints in Germany, Portugal, and Serbia.
Reflecting on the unique opportunity today presents, Singh told RNZ, "I know, within this group, we have a belief that we can do something very special... We can ideally make New Zealanders proud of what we've done."
As thousands of Kiwi-Indians tune in from Auckland, Wellington, and across the globe, they will see a trailblazer who carries the hopes of an entire diaspora, breaking barriers on the world's most-watched sporting stage.
