The All Whites have confirmed a football friendly in September against Uzbekistan in Tashkent.
The match against the fourth-ranked Asian nation on Monday September the 8th will be the first test for the new All Whites coach, who will be in place before then, with an announcement on the group's new leadership set to be made in July.
New Zealand Football CEO Andy Martin says the September fixture is a coup for the All Whites team set to re-launch their programme towards the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, as their review of the last failed World Cup qualifying campaign said the side needs more regular international fixtures against top nations.
The fixture follows international games for the All Whites in the last two international windows earlier this year, in Japan and against South Africa in Auckland.
Uzbekistan lost the Asian Confederation fifth-placed playoff against Jordan with the middle-eastern side then falling to Uruguay in the intercontinental playoff for a place at the current 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
In the lead-up to the September match, the All Whites will spend five days in camp at the Aspire Academy as the squad prepares for the first outing under the soon to be appointed coaching staff.
Martin says the pre-match preparation is ideal for a side who will be working with their newly appointed coach, as the review also pointed towards maximising preparation time for the team, whose players are now spread across the globe.
