Sarpreet Singh Exclusive: What Fuels The Kiwi Footballer With Indian Roots At FIFA World Cup 2026?

A Garry Sandhu playlist on loop, the memory of his mother taking him to his first football match, and the promise of lamb curry and roti waiting at home, these were the simple comforts Sarpreet Singh carried with him as he made history.

The New Zealand midfielder became the first footballer of Indian origin to start a FIFA World Cup match, taking the field in their 2-2 draw against Iran in Los Angeles on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. 

After years of dreams, sacrifices and hard work, the 27-year-old attacking midfielder finally had his World Cup moment, and he was ready for it.

In an interaction with Outlook India ahead of New Zealand's opening match against Iran, Sarpreet spoke about the journey that shaped him, the sacrifices he made, and the subtle racism he encountered along the way.

"I am ready for the FIFA World Cup. I have a long mixed tape with Punjabi beats on loop and I listen to them to get in vibes and groove. Then all I want is to walk into the stadium, look around and hear those beats in my head, to know where I have reached, how far I've come, for me, for New Zealand." He told Outlook India

The first match itself was politically charged, overshadowed by visa controversies and geopolitical tensions that rippled through the tournament. 

But for Sarpreet, the noise outside the stadium faded the moment he crossed the white line. What mattered was the pitch, his teammates, and the weight of representation he carried on his shoulders, not just for himself, but for an entire community that had never seen one of their own start at a World Cup match before.

The Kiwi Boy With Indian Roots And A Mother Who Drove Him

Sarpreet began his football journey with Onehunga Sports before joining the Wellington Phoenix Academy in 2015. He made his senior debut for the club the same year, spending four seasons with the side before earning his first New Zealand national team call-up in 2018.

"I was about four years old when I started playing football. Over the years, I fell in love with the game. I always wanted to be a professional football player, and I was really blessed to have a supportive family that pushed me in football," he recalls.

But the memory that stands out most vividly is from when he was 10 years old. His mother, Sarabjit Kaur, drove him and his brother to Wellington’s Westpac Stadium to watch New Zealand play.

"I remember we only played the three group games but we were unbeaten in all of them. I'd brought posters of the players and managed to get them signed as they came past us. It was a great tournament. Those memories are still very special to me," Sarpreet remembers, his voice warming at the recollection of that pivotal moment, a kid in the stands, dreaming of one day standing on that pitch himself.

What started as a child kicking a ball in Auckland became a calling that demanded everything. His parents, like so many before them, had left India seeking better opportunities, better lives for their children.

"As a kid, I was always very sporty. We played everything – softball, cricket, rugby, touch rugby, because those sports are a big part of life in New Zealand. But football was always there," he said.

"We are a very sporty family. My brother played football and still plays socially, and growing up, we spent a lot of time playing together. He was someone who trained me and helped me improve. My sister also played football and netball, so sport was always a big part of our household."

Growing up in a Punjabi household meant more than just football.

"See, we had all the qualities a sports person needs, we're always humble people, disciplined. We have a drive to work hard. That work ethic, the sacrifices our parents make for us, it's very normal in just about every family I know. That's what shaped me, that's what made me who I am today, and that's what I try to carry with me all the way through, on the field and off."

His parents' journey to New Zealand shaped everything about his approach to life.

"My parents moved to New Zealand to create a better life, to find better opportunities and jobs so they could support their families. Everything they did was for us kids, they always wanted to give us the best chance to succeed. Looking back, I think they should be proud of what they achieved and the life they built for us," he reflects.

At 16, Sarpreet left Auckland for Wellington, his first real test away from family. The separation was difficult, but it was necessary. "I moved to Wellington when I was 16 years old and that was sort of my first big step, moving away from home and all the challenges that I had to face with that," he recalls.

Four years in Wellington hardened him, taught him independence, shaped him as a player. Then came the bigger leap -- Germany, a move overseas that would test everything he thought he knew about himself and the world.

His performances at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup, where New Zealand reached the Round of 16, attracted interest from Europe. He later signed a three-year deal with Bayern Munich, becoming the first New Zealand player since Wynton Rufer to join a Bundesliga club.

Sarpreet was part of the New Zealand squad that secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as the country prepared to return to football's biggest stage for the first time since 2010.

It was in Europe that Sarpreet began to understand what it meant to be an outsider. In Auckland, he was simply a talented footballer. In Germany, he was the guy who looked different. And that difference, he would learn, came with a price.

The Weight Of Looking Different

Sarpreet’s idea of racism came from movies, loud and obvious. But what he experienced was different. In European football, it often appears quietly, through doubts, decisions, and assumptions about who belongs. For Sarpreet, it was subtle but constant.

"Sometimes you can feel it, in Portugal or Serbia, there were moments when I wondered if my lack of opportunities was because of that. It’s not always direct, but you can sense things in different countries," he said with an awkward smile.

When asked about specific incidents, he pauses. "I don't want to dive deep into certain incidents, but yeah, you just got to deal with it."

"If somebody doesn't really believe in you, you want to show them what you're about. That's a good mindset to have. You also have to just focus on yourself. As you get older and the more experience you have, you learn not to care or worry about certain things. At the end of the day, I always just see it as: I work the hardest I can every single day, and the rest is out of my control," he says.

Sarpreet understands the power of representation and the support that comes with it. "That's the thing about coming from a certain community, you have support from all over," he reflects. For him, representing Indian origin at the World Cup carries a meaning far beyond personal achievement.

"I'm proud to have support from both countries. I want kids to have someone who looks like them and show that if you believe, nothing can stop you from achieving the same," he adds.

It is a responsibility he carries lightly on his shoulders but deeply in his heart.

New Zealand vs Iran, FIFA World Cup 2026: The One Where Sarpreet Started

Iran Vs Newzealand Highlights

When Sarpreet stepped onto the pitch in Los Angeles against Iran, something shifted. The doubts, the questions about whether a player of Indian origin truly belonged at this level, they all dissolved the moment the whistle blew.

He played with purpose. Early in the match, he was directly involved in the build-up that led to New Zealand's opening goal. Elijah Just exchanged passes with Sarpreet and captain Chris Wood, the ball eventually finding the back of the net.

It was a moment that mattered, not just for the scoreline, but for what it represented. A player of Indian origin, directly involved in New Zealand's breakthrough at the World Cup.

He played almost the full 90 minutes, only coming off in the dying stages. For a debut at this level, in this match, it was exactly the kind of performance that answers all the questions without needing to speak.

"I'm just looking forward to playing the first game, being out on the pitch in front of my family, in front of all the fans, and trying to do well. That's one of the things I'm really looking forward to," he had said before the match. And he delivered.

New Zealand’s Preparations For FIFA World Cup 2026 

Talking about New Zealand dressing room environment and team’s preparations, Sarpeet said, "We've been in camp for three weeks now and the vibe, the energy, everything's good. We have known each other for many, many years. We've played together at certain stages in our lives. We're all easygoing people from New Zealand. We respect each other, we look after each other. And there's a sense of excitement here because we feel that we have a very strong team, one of the strongest teams New Zealand's ever had on paper."

When asked about his pre-match rituals, Sarpreet said, "I used to have certain things around which boots I put on, like superstitions, but as I got older I stopped with those things. I just know certain things like how I activate my body and what my body needs at the time. Sometimes I do meditation or visualization, but it's not always the same thing. It depends on what I need."

What he does know is music. Before the match against Iran, he had found a Punjabi mashup playlist on SoundCloud filled with wedding reception songs, bangers with whole beats and dancing rhythms.

"It's about 40 minutes long. It's banger after banger, that's what gets me through. And Garry Sandhu's slow songs, they just calm me down. It's not about anything else. I just enjoy the music. It helps me focus and prepare."

Beyond The Pitch: More Than Just The Game

Sarpreet is at a crossroads that many elite athletes reach, the point where the certainty of now begins to give way to questions about later.

When asked about life beyond football, Sarpreet admitted that those thoughts have started creeping in as he gets older. "When you're younger, you don't have to think about these things, but as you get older and the time comes closer to an end, even though I hope to play for many more years, I'm starting to think about what's next," he says.

But for now, the focus remains singular. His personal goals for the tournament are clear and ambitious.

"I obviously want to play the best I can, hopefully score a couple of goals, and hopefully the team gets out of the group. That would be quite a good achievement, that would be history for us as a team. And if I can score, I'm sure that's also going to be history as well," he says.

There are other dreams, too. Kevin De Bruyne, the Belgian maestro, is on his mind.

"He's also an attacking midfielder like myself. He's been one of the best in the world in his position for so many years. Just to be able to play against him will be something special. Obviously on the pitch when you're playing you're competing, so everything goes out the window, but to be able to play against him is something truly special," he reflects.

Talking about what has changed after achieving his FIFA World Cup dream, Sarpreet said his family has remained the same.

"My parents are always the same. My mum's always disciplined us, so it's always the same. There's nothing that changes the way they treat me. They're just extremely proud of how well I'm doing and what I've been doing," he says.

His wife, Neetu Singh, also keeps him grounded. “My wife says that sometimes she doesn’t even realise how many people admire or support me because, for her, I’m just me. I always try to stay the same. I don’t change for any particular reason. There’s no need to. I was raised well, so I try to carry that through my life,” he says with a laugh.

When asked what still connects him to his Kiwi self, Sarpreet’s answer was food. "Oh, it is Punjabi food. When you are an elite athlete, one thing that you crave the most is what you get the least," he says. 

"Usually I like lamb curry and roti, homemade cooking, my wife's cooking, family's cooking, or my mum's cooking. That's usually what I like after games."

Eyes On Indian Football

Sarpreet keeps an eye on Indian football, particularly the Indian Super League.

"From time to time, and I think over the years I've started to follow it more. I've had some mates that have played in the ISL, so I do understand about the country and how football is going over there," he says.

"I think it's important that the investment continues in the game at the highest level and also for the youth programs coming through. If you have a pathway that's aligned, I'm sure we can see the Indian national team do very well in the future. There's no better feeling than to see that."

Does he see himself playing in India one day? "Yeah, definitely. One day for sure I would like to play there. I've got a big following and a lot of love from all the people of India, so I'm very grateful. I think it's important that one day I give back to that as well," he says.

At the FIFA World Cup 2026, Sarpreet is one of four players of Indian origin representing other nations. But his story stands apart, not just because of the milestone he has achieved, but because of the way he embraces his dual identity on football’s biggest stage.

That is the real history Sarpreet is making, not just on the pitch, but by inspiring young Punjabi kids in Auckland, Punjab, and beyond to believe they too can reach football’s biggest stage while staying true to who they are.

"I am just a guy who likes football, a Kiwi soul with an Indian heart," he says with a giggle.

New Zealand will face Egypt on Monday, June 22, aiming to strengthen their place in Group G. But regardless of what happens next, Sarpreet Singh has already etched his name into history. And when the tournament journey ends, there will be a familiar reward waiting at home, lamb curry and roti.