All Whites lock in high-profile friendly against Sweden in Stockholm in June

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The All Whites will play Sweden in Stockholm in June.

Matt Roberts/Getty Images

The All Whites will play Sweden in Stockholm in June.

The All Whites will play world No 23 Sweden at the 50,000-capacity Friends Arena in Stockholm in June.

The high-profile European friendly on June 17 [kickoff 5am NZ time] was announced on Friday and will follow two matches against China in Auckland and Wellington later this month.

It is likely to be the first of several matches New Zealand’s 105th-ranked national men’s football team will play in Europe this year.

The Jordan Football Association has announced a match against the All Whites in Austria on June 20, but NZ Football is yet to confirm that fixture.

More matches in Europe are on the cards for the team in October and November, as they seek to play opponents who have byes during Euro 2024 qualifying.

They won’t play in the September international window, as it clashes with the Oly Whites’ qualifying campaign for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

NZ Football chief executive Andrew Pragnell said: “We have made a commitment that our senior national teams will be playing in every possible Fifa window, so it’s great to confirm this match against a quality side.

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“With the games against China this month in Auckland and Wellington, and this fixture the first of many overseas international games we will be announcing, this is an exciting time for the team.

“I know the players can’t wait to kick off the new World Cup cycle and that starts this month at Mt Smart.”

The All Whites will have national men’s under-20 coach Darren Bazeley as their interim coach for the China matches in three weeks’ time.

It is not yet clear whether a permanent appointment will be made in time for June, with the search for a successor to Danny Hay still ongoing

NZ Football’s preferred candidate, current Canada coach John Herdman, has publicly stated that he turned them down.

The All Whites’ last match against a European team in Europe was a 1-0 loss to Lithuania in Vilnius in November 2019.

All Whites – confirmed 2023 fixtures [all NZ time]

Thursday, March 23, 7pm: v China; Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland

Sunday, March 26, 4pm: v China; Sky Stadium, Wellington

Saturday, June 17, 5am: v Sweden; Friends Arena, Stockholm

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