Star Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood spearheaded New Zealand's squad named Tuesday for crunch games that could see them reach the World Cup for the first time in 16 years.
The All Whites meet Fiji in the semi-finals of Oceania qualifying in Wellington on March 21, with New Caledonia facing Tahiti on the same day.
The winners will play at Auckland's Eden Park three days later with the victor making the 2026 World Cup in North America after an Oceania side was awarded direct entry for the first time.
They will join co-hosts the United States, Mexico and Canada.
New Zealand have played at the World Cup twice before, in 1982 and 2010, and are yet to win a game.
They are heavy favourites to qualify again, but coach Darren Bazeley said he was taking nothing for granted.
"This is the business end of the competition now and we know we have a job to do in these games to see us return to the World Cup for the first time since 2010," he said.
"We aren't taking anything for granted, all of the squad are completely focused on what we want to achieve this month."
The 23-man squad is led by Woods, who is in the form of his life with 18 goals in the English Premier League so far this season.
"We have been really consistent with a lot of our selections over the last year to drive cohesion in the team so that when players arrive in camp they know what is expected, especially when we have limited time together and need to perform," said Bazeley.
Goalkeepers: Max Crocombe (Burton Albion/ENG), Alex Paulsen (Auckland FC/NZL), Oli Sail (Perth Glory/AUS)
Defenders: Tyler Bindon (Reading FC/ENG), Michael Boxall (Minnesota United/USA), Liberato Caccace (Empoli FC/ITA), Francis de Vries (Auckland FC/NZL), Tim Payne (Wellington Phoenix/NZL), Nando Pijnaker (Auckland FC/NZL), Storm Roux (Central Coast Mariners/AUS), Tommy Smith (Auckland FC/NZL)
Midfielders: Joe Bell (Viking FK/NOR), Matt Garbett (NAC Breda/NED), Eli Just (SKN St. Polten/AUT), Alex Rufer (Wellington Phoenix/NZL), Sarpreet Singh (UD Leiria/POR), Marko Stamenic (Olympiacos/GRE)
Forwards: Kosta Barbarouses (Wellington Phoenix/NZL), Callum McCowatt (Silkeborg IF/DEN), Jesse Randall (Auckland FC/NZL), Logan Rogerson (Auckland FC/NZL), Ben Waine (Mansfield Town/ENG), Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest/ENG)
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