Tickets for Indian men football team's maiden New Zealand tour on sale from July 22

New Zealand 3 min read

The Indian men's football team will play two friendly matches in November 2026.

The friendlies are a part of the government-backed '100 Years of Unity Through Sport' programme celebrating ties between the two countries.

Awaaz July 16, 2026

Tickets for the Indian men’s football team’s first-ever tour of New Zealand will go on general sale on Wednesday, July 22.

India will face the All Whites in two international friendlies, beginning at Go Media Stadium in Auckland on Thursday, November 12, 2026.

The teams will meet again at Christchurch’s new One New Zealand Stadium on Sunday, November 15, 2026.

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The matches represent a significant step up for India. New Zealand are ranked 85th in the latest official FIFA men’s rankings, while India are 138th.

India head coach Khalid Jamil said the friendlies would give his players an opportunity to test themselves against a well-organised side with recent World Cup experience.

“It is always a positive experience to face teams that compete at the highest level,” Jamil said.

“New Zealand are a well-organised side with recent FIFA World Cup experience, and playing away from home against them will be a valuable challenge for our players. We are looking forward to the matches.”

The tour will be the Indian men’s national team’s first visit to New Zealand and its first trip to a member of the Oceania Football Confederation since it played two friendly matches in Fiji in 2005.

How to book tickets

New Zealand Football will open a presale for members of its Football Whānau on Monday, July 20. Supporters can register for Football Whānau through the New Zealand Football website to receive presale access.

Tickets will go on general sale on Wednesday, July 22. New Zealand Football has not yet announced ticket prices or the time at which the general sale will begin.

Where and when will the matches be played?

The first friendly will be played at Go Media Stadium in Auckland on Thursday, November 12, 2026.

The second will take place at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch on Sunday, November 15, 2026.

It will be the first football match announced for the new Christchurch venue.

New Zealand Football chief executive Andrew Pragnell said bringing the All Whites back to Christchurch had been a priority.

He described the new stadium as an “incredible facility” and said New Zealand Football hoped to see it filled with Cantabrians supporting the national team.

All Whites coach Darren Bazeley said it was important for the players to return home after receiving strong support from New Zealand fans during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The India matches will be the All Whites’ final two fixtures of 2026, with further matches expected to be announced for the September and October international windows.

Part of Modi-visit sporting programme

The friendlies form part of the Government-backed “100 Years of Unity Through Sport” programme announced during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to New Zealand.

The Government earlier announced funding to support visits by Indian national sporting teams, including the men’s football team and bowls players.

The programme is intended to mark a century of sporting connections between India and New Zealand.

Have India and New Zealand played before?

Although this will be India’s first football tour of New Zealand, the two men’s national teams have met twice before.

Their first match ended in a 0-0 draw at the Merdeka Tournament in Malaysia in 1981.

New Zealand won their second meeting 2-1 at the Intercontinental Cup in Mumbai in 2018.

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