The All Whites will have to go through North America to book their spot at Qatar for the 2022 Football World Cup.
FIFA announced playoff draws for all regions on Saturday, a week after revealing home and away leg qualifications had been scrapped for straight knockout matches.
The move was pre-empted by fixture congestion thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic with ongoing uncertainty around international travel.
Saturday's draw saw some interesting potential matchups in Europe but for the All Whites - who hope to top Oceania's bracket next year - a neutral venue clash with North America's fourth-placed team will decide their World Cup fate.
Currently, Panama sit fourth in a group of teams that includes Mexico, USA, Canada, Costa Rica and Honduras.
The North America v Oceania playoff is scheduled for June 14 next year following March's qualification tournament - the format of which will be revealed next week.
