Andrew Pragnell: NZ Football CEO on the All Whites qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

The All Whites have secured a spot at next year's expanded football World Cup, beating New Caledonia 3-nil in the Oceania qualifying final at Auckland. 

New Zealand needed an hour to score when defender Michael Boxall headed in from a corner - replacements Kosta Barbarouses and Elijah Just also struck. 

This marks the third time the All Whites have qualified for the World Cup, which now accommodates 48 rather than 32 teams. 

NZ Football CEO Andrew Pragnell told Mike Hosking this is probably the greatest group of talent they’ve ever seen in the men’s space. 

He says expectations should be high, and this group has the capability to not only win games, but get out of the group round. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Andrew Pregnell is the boss of New Zealand Football. Andrew,
morning to.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
You, Ben, Mike, thanks for having me, not at all.

Speaker 1 (00:05):
Twenty five thousand. Glenn and I were arguing off here
about there's twenty five thousands not a big crowd? Why
was it about? Is football really that bigger? We over
fizzling ourselves on this or not.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
We're definitely huge in terms of participation, obviously with the
biggest sport in the country by a fairly long mile.
I think there's a lot of things going on Monday
night it's always a bit tough, but you know, to
see twenty plus thousand sharp and we done forty five
thousand across the couple of days. The amount of content
going on and the atmosphere in the crowd last night phenomenal.
So yeah, look we're in a pretty heavy space.

Speaker 1 (00:39):
Long as you long as you please. As far as
the World Cup is concerned, what are you expecting to do?
Because the other thing is we get excited about draws.
Are we going to win? Are we going to win
something and do well and get out of the main round?

Speaker 2 (00:52):
Look, I think this is the greatest group of talent
that we've seen in the meinspase for well, probably ever
we've got four four players sign the premier league clubs.
They're all professionals playing around the world. Now the expectations
should be high. We're certainly not going to participate, but yeah,
the script, there's the capability not only to win games
but get out of the group. Key. We should be very,

(01:13):
very excited and very proud of a scrip of young men.

Speaker 1 (01:15):
And every time we go and I remember Ady two
for a start, and that was genuinely exciting. But every
time we go, does it parley into kids playing you know, balls,
getting kicked on streets in the whole thing?

Speaker 2 (01:28):
Yes, yes, yes, I mean I think the participation side
is just enymous. So I mean the having a quite
see here now, you know, with like a third day
league club. To be frank, the growth of the game
is sort of unstoppable, so it'll have a foreign effect.
I mean last night the kids going crazy have a
crossword who is now a global headline around the world. Yeah,

(01:51):
it's a phenomenal time for us.

Speaker 1 (01:52):
Good stuff, Andrew and enjoy I appreciate it very much.
Andrew pregnanll As regards the crowds Auckland get the same
number for a regular league game. The Warriors get the
same thing Saturday and Saturday Out was my only reason
for the question for a World Cup.

Speaker 2 (02:03):
Follow the Warriors get twenty five thousand people to turn
up on a Monday.

Speaker 1 (02:06):
Night, easy and then some watch them. Any to name
a day, name a stadium, I can give you twenty
three to twenty five.

Speaker 2 (02:13):
For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to
news talks. It'd be from six am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.