Iran and New Zealand draw at the 2026 World Cup

Iran and New Zealand could not find a winner in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Group G clash in Los Angeles ended in a 2-2 draw.

The match was open and full of action. New Zealand twice took the lead thanks to a brace from Elijah Just, with Chris Wood providing the assist on both goals. However, Iran responded each time and eventually managed to rescue a point.

One of the main figures of the match was Ramin Rezaeian. He scored Iran’s first goal and then played a key role in his team’s second attacking move. After the final whistle, Rezaeian was named Player of the Match.

For New Zealand, the result can also be seen as a positive start. The team earned its first point of the tournament, while Elijah Just scored twice on the World Cup stage.

“It’s really special. We had a lot of goals coming into the tournament, and the first one was to get on the board. One point is okay, and there are a lot of positives to build on. Scoring once is something I couldn’t have dreamed of, and two goals is just amazing,” Just said after the match.

After two games in Group G, everything remains completely level. Earlier, Belgium and Egypt also played out a 1-1 draw. As a result, all four teams in the group have started the World Cup with one point each.

Group G is already shaping up to be one of the most intriguing groups of the tournament. No team has gained an advantage yet, and the battle for a place in the knockout stage is only beginning.