Overview
- New Zealand Football confirmed that Matt Garbett will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup after suffering a hamstring injury in a training session, the federation said the squad was devastated he would not play.
- The injury was sustained during the All Whites’ penultimate training session in San Diego on Saturday, and Garbett missed the final practice and the captain’s run before the team travelled to Los Angeles.
- Head coach Darren Bazeley had described Garbett as being “under an injury cloud” and said the physio team was monitoring him before the federation formally ruled him out.
- Media reports say Auckland striker Logan Rogerson has been called into the 26-man squad as Garbett’s replacement, a move that came ahead of New Zealand’s opening Group Stage match at SoFi Stadium.
- Garbett is a 24-year-old Peterborough United midfielder with roughly 38 caps and five international goals, and his loss is seen as a material setback for New Zealand as they pursue a strong showing in their third World Cup appearance.