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WORLD CUP 2026 · Tuesday, 16 June 2026 at 02:00 BST
Iran
vs
New Zealand

Match preview

Iran are clear favourites on ratings, with the model at 64%. Only a poor recent run (three-from-five) gives New Zealand a way in.

64%
Iran
16%
Draw
20%
New Zealand
Model fair odds
Iran
1.56
Draw
6.25
New Zealand
5.00

Decimal fair odds from the model probabilities before bookmaker margin.

Iran
64%
Draw
16%
New Zealand
20%
Elo rating: 1790 vs 1610 (+180)
Recent form: WWWL vs LLWLL
Host advantage: Neutral venue
Model verdict: 64% / 16% / 20%
Most likely scores
Iran 1–0 (15%)
Iran 2–0 (15%)
Iran 3–0 (10%)
Draw 1–1 (9%)
Why Iran are favourites (64%)
  • Iran carry the higher Elo rating (+180 points)
  • Neutral venue — no home advantage applied
  • Iran won 3 of their last five (3W 1L)
  • New Zealand mixed recent form (1W 4L)
  • Head-to-head treated as neutral — too few recent meetings to weigh (10% of the blend)

These factors combine to produce the 64% / 16% / 20% verdict above.

Expected match pattern

Iran are expected to control possession and territory, while New Zealand will likely rely on defensive organisation and counter-attacks — a setup their recent results suggest they may struggle to sustain. An early Iran goal would force New Zealand to open up, raising the chance of a multi-goal result; the longer it stays level, the more pressure shifts onto the favourites.

Expected goals: Iran 2 · New Zealand 0.6

Quick stats

MetricIranNew Zealand
Elo rating17901610
Last 5 record3W 1L1W 4L
Goals last 5114
Goals conceded last 5310
Clean sheets last 520

Iran — last 5

  • Dv Grenada??
  • Wv Mali20
  • Wv Gambia31
  • W@ Costa Rica50
  • Lv Nigeria12

New Zealand — last 5

  • L@ England01
  • L@ Haiti04
  • Wv Chile41
  • Lv Finland02
  • L@ Ecuador02

Head to head

No recent meetings on record between these sides.

Predictions are model output, not betting advice. The model blends an Elo rating, last-5 form and host advantage; ratings update after every tournament result, and fair odds and likely scorelines are derived from the same blend. Bet responsibly — 18+. See PuntHub for verified tipster services.