The wait is finally over for New Zealand football fans! After a 16-year absence, the All Whites are heading back to the World Cup stage, and they've brought some serious English league firepower with them.

Leading the charge is Swansea City's dynamic midfielder Marko Stamenic. The 24-year-old, who impressed mightily in his debut season with the Swans after moving from Nottingham Forest, has earned his ticket to the big show. He's one of eight English-based players named in New Zealand's 26-man squad for the tournament, set to kick off across the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.

Headlining the squad is Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood, a familiar name to Premier League fans. But the English contingent runs deep, with Braintree Town defender Tommy Smith and Wrexham's Liberato Cacace also getting the call to represent their nation on football's grandest stage.

The All Whites will face a tough group stage, going head-to-head with Belgium, Egypt, and Iran. But they're not going in cold—New Zealand has lined up warm-up friendlies against Haiti and England in early June to fine-tune their game plan.

For Stamenic, this World Cup call-up is the cherry on top of a standout season. After making the move from Forest to Swansea in 2025-26, he's quickly become a key figure in midfield, and now he's got the chance to showcase his talent on the world's biggest footballing platform.