Iran vs New Zealand Prediction & Betting Tips | 16 June 2026

Match Preview

All eyes will be on SoFi Stadium as Iran and New Zealand kick off their 2026 World Cup Group G campaigns. Iran arrive at the tournament in high spirits, having secured three successive victories in friendly fixtures, most recently overcoming Mali with a 2-0 scoreline. Carlos Queiroz's charges are a formidable unit, boasting both defensive solidity and attacking know-how. Veteran forward Mehdi Taremi is expected to spearhead their attack, providing the crucial firepower in the final third. Iran's defence has been particularly impressive lately, letting in an average of just 0.8 goals per game and preserving their clean sheet in half of their last ten appearances. They also average 1.7 goals scored each match, presenting a stern test for any opponent. New Zealand, on the other hand, can draw some positives from their determined 1-0 loss against England in their final preparatory match. The All Whites showed commendable defensive resilience for significant spells and are likely to employ a similar strategy here. Much of their offensive threat will likely come from Nottingham Forest frontman Chris Wood, whose experience and physical attributes make him their primary danger man. However, New Zealand's recent form is a cause for concern, with only a solitary victory in their last ten outings. They haven't kept a clean sheet during this period and have averaged just 0.7 goals per game, suggesting they might find it tough against a well-drilled Iranian defence. Given Iran's current three-match winning run, superior quality, and greater tournament pedigree compared to New Zealand, a Home Win is certainly worth considering. Furthermore, bets on Under 3.5 and Under 2.5 goals are also attractive propositions, as Iran are stingy at the back and New Zealand are expected to prioritise defensive organisation from the start. This World Cup 2026 fixture is scheduled for Tuesday 16 June 2026, with a kick-off time of 02:00.

Iran Team Form and Stats

Over their last 10 fixtures across all tournaments, Iran's form has seen them achieve the following results: w, d, l, l, w, d, d, l, w, w. This equates to 1.50 points per game overall. At home, their record reads: l, w, l, w, w, yielding 1.80 points per game. On the road, their stats are: w, d, l, d, d, averaging 1.20 points per game.

Looking at the statistics in more detail:

Overall, Iran have a 40% win rate, while at home this rises to 60% and drops to 20% away from home.

Their average goals per game stand at 2.50 overall, 3.00 at home, and 2.00 away.

They score an average of 1.70 goals per game overall, 2.20 at home, and 1.20 away.

Conversely, they concede 0.80 goals per game across the board, with the same figure both home and away.

Both Teams To Score has occurred in 40% of their matches overall, and this figure remains consistent at 40% for both home and away games.

Clean sheets are kept in 50% of their games overall, 40% at home, and 60% away.

They have failed to score in 30% of their matches overall, 20% at home, and 40% away.

Expected Goals (xG) are calculated at 1.56 overall, 1.77 at home, and 1.46 away.

Expected Goals Against (xGA) are recorded at 0.90 overall, 0.96 at home, and 0.87 away.

New Zealand Team Form and Stats

Looking at New Zealand's performance across their last 10 fixtures in all tournaments, their recent form has seen them struggle, with a sequence of losses and draws. They've managed to pick up just 0.40 points on average overall. At home, their record is slightly better, with a win amongst their recent outings giving them an average of 1.00 points per game. However, away from home, it's been a tough spell, with only 0.14 points per game secured.

In terms of statistics, their win percentage stands at 10% overall, improving to 33% when playing at home, but dropping to 0% on their travels. On average, they've been involved in games with 2.50 goals overall. They are scoring 0.70 goals per game on average throughout all competitions, with this figure rising to 1.67 at home but falling to a mere 0.29 away. Defensively, they're conceding 1.80 goals per game overall. This is 2.00 goals per game at home and 1.71 away. Both teams scoring has occurred in 40% of their matches overall, 67% at home, and 29% away. They haven't kept a clean sheet in any of their last 10 matches, with the percentage remaining at 0% both home and away. Conversely, they've failed to find the net in 60% of their games overall, 33% at home, and 71% away. Their expected goals (xG) for the season is 1.13, with this being 1.22 at home and 1.09 away. Their expected goals against (xGA) are 1.75 overall, 1.10 at home, and 2.02 away.

Iran vs New Zealand Head to Head Statistics (H2H)

There is no prior head-to-head record for these two sides.