The All Whites have secured two more fixtures as match practice before their FIFA World Cup Oceania qualifying tournament, and will face Jordan and Uzbekistan early next year.
As part of football's international window from late January 2022, the All Whites will face both Jordan and Uzbekistan in the UAE, as part of their preparations for the Oceania qualifying tournament, held in March.
Coach Danny Hay's side face Jordan in Abu Dhabi on January 29 (NZ time) and Uzbekistan on February 2 in Dubai.
And with the Oceania tournament to be hosted in Qatar, the two UAE fixtures will be vital in helping the All Whites get used to the conditions on offer before attempting to reach the next stage of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup - held in the same country.
"Confirming these fixtures was really important so we can kick-off the year with games and continue to build on the momentum from the October and November matches," Hay says.
"Along with potentially giving us the opportunity to include a few new players, it also gives us another chance to play in the Middle East and allows the squad to acclimatise to the conditions ahead of the OFC games in March."
The All Whites have impressed in their recent outings, defeating Curacao and Bahrain in the October international break, and also beating the Gambia in November.
That extra time on the pitch together will prove invaluable come the World Cup qualifiers, as the All Whites aim to reach football's global pinnacle for the first time since 2010.
"We have made good progress during the Olympic campaign and through the games in the spring, but in 2022, with FIFA World Cup qualifying on the line, the stakes are definitely higher," Hay adds.
"The more time we can have together as a squad, to continue to build the connections and culture on and off the pitch, the better prepared we will be."
The FIFA Oceania qualifying tournament will be held from March 14 to 30, 2022.
