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England and New Zealand prepare to do battle in a friendly at the Raymond James Stadium in Florida on Saturday night in preparation for the World Cup.
This will be the Three Lions' first outing since Thomas Tuchel named his squad for the tournament, and they are one of the favourites to go all the way and win it.
New Zealand are huge underdogs as the lowest-ranked nation at the World Cup (85th), and recently lost 4-0 to Haiti in a friendly.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
England vs. New Zealand key stats
- England have won six of their last eight games in all competitions (D1, L1).
- New Zealand have lost four of their previous five matches across all competitions (W1).
- England won the previous two H2Hs by a combined 3-0 scoreline.
England vs. New Zealand preview: Three Lions to thrash All Whites?
| England | vs | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | FIFA Ranking | 85 |
| Harry Kane (112) | Most Caps | Chris Wood (89) |
| Harry Kane (78) | Most Goals | Chris Wood (45) |
| 799 | Total Caps | 822 |
| 145 | Total Goals | 109 |
| 5 | Uncapped Players | 0 |
England are aiming to end 60 years of hurt by trying to win the World Cup this summer for the first time since their only prior victory in 1966.
They have come close in the previous two tournaments, reaching the semi-final and quarter-final in 2018 and 2022 respectively, while also making both European Championship finals in 2021 and 2024.
Tuchel, who boasts a top-level CV from club level, has been brought in to try and get the Three Lions over the line, and has picked a star-studded squad to try and get them there.
Five uncapped players have been called up among the original 26 to add extra competition, as England look to flex their muscles against relative minnows in New Zealand.
Indeed, their opponents are ranked 81 places below them in the official FIFA world rankings, and are the lowest-ranked side at the World Cup.
The All Whites have little expectations heading into the tournament, especially after just being thrashed 4-0 by Haiti in a recent friendly.
They also lost the previous two meetings they faced against England without scoring, although both of those were in 1991.
Darren Bazeley has no fresh injury concerns in his squad, although after their disappointing performance against Haiti, he could choose to give other players a go from the start against England.
England vs. New Zealand form guide & betting tips
| England | vs | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
WWWDL |
Form | LLLWL |
| 10 | Goals For | 5 |
| 2 | Goals Against | 11 |
WDL |
Friendlies | LLL |
Whispers predicts: England 3-0 New Zealand
England are heavy 12/100 (1.12) favourites to win, but while we agree with the bookies, these odds are too short for us to back.
Instead, England to win (-2 handicap) at 6/5 (2.20) offers much better value, with the Three Lions expected to show the gulf in quality.
BTTS – No at 1/2 (1.50) is a safer pick given England's last 11 wins in all competitions have been to nil, while New Zealand's previous three defeats have failed to see them score.
Our final bet is Harry Kane to score a brace at 5/2 (3.50), which he has done in two of his last three England appearances.
Overall, we are predicting a comfortable 3-0 win for the Three Lions, which can be backed at 11/2 (6.50).
> BTTS – No at 1/2 | Likelihood: Probable
> England to win (-2 handicap) at 6/5 (2.20) | Likelihood: Possible
> Kane to score a brace at 5/2 (3.50) | Likelihood: Possible