Teenage striker Stipe Ukich has received his first All Whites call-up in Darren Bazeley’s first New Zealand squad since the 2026 World Cup. Ukich is one of three uncapped players selected for a demanding four-match, 11-day series in China and Japan.
The 19-year-old forward currently plays for NK Istra 1961 in Croatia’s top division and has previously represented New Zealand at Under-17 and Under-20 level. His selection follows a rapid rise from youth international football to a senior opportunity, with Bazeley highlighting his performances in what he described as a difficult Croatian league.
“[Ukich] has been really impressive playing in a tough league in Croatia,” Bazeley said. “This squad reflects our desire to maintain that momentum and we’ve selected a group with a good mix of established internationals and players who have earned opportunities through their work at club level.”
Ukich is joined by Kilmarnock centre-back George Stanger, 26, and Wellington Phoenix goalkeeper Henry Gray, 21, as the squad’s uncapped players. Stanger and Gray have been called into All Whites squads before but are yet to make their senior debuts, while Ukich’s selection is his first at full international level.
New Zealand’s 23-player squad retains much of the group that qualified for the World Cup. Sixteen players from Bazeley’s World Cup squad have been selected again, including captain Chris Wood, Eli Just and Finn Surman, who scored during the tournament.
The All Whites begin their schedule against Palestine in Chongqing, China, on September 24. They remain in Chongqing to face China PR on September 28, then travel to Japan for the Kirin Cup. New Zealand play Panama at Yokohama International Stadium on October 1 before meeting either Ecuador or hosts Japan in the final or third-place playoff at Tokyo’s National Stadium on October 5.
The four games provide Bazeley with an opportunity to assess both established players and emerging options after the World Cup. With several players out of season or having recently changed clubs, the manager has deliberately brought in returning squad members such as Owen Parker-Price, Sam Sutton, Dane Ingham and Dalton Wilkins alongside the new call-ups.
For Ukich, the trip is a chance to prove that his youth-level promise can translate to senior international football. He will compete for minutes in an attack led by Wood and containing Ben Waine, Jesse Randall and Logan Rogerson, but Bazeley’s emphasis on giving a broad group meaningful playing time makes a first cap a realistic possibility.
