National League South player Tommy Smith, 36, makes New Zealand World Cup squad
All Whites select player from sixth tier of English football for biggest tournament in the world
Tommy Smith has been called up to New Zealand’s 2026 World Cup squad from Braintree Town in the sixth tier of English football, which is thought to be a record.
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The 36-year-old centre back played in the National League in 2025-26 but the Essex team was relegated in May, which means the Kiwi could go from the biggest stage in the world to turning out at Slough Town’s 2,000 capacity Arbour Park next season.
Smith has previously played for Ipswich Town and played in all three matches in what was New Zealand’s only previous World Cup bout in 2010, when the All Whites exited in the group stage with the distinction of their three draws making them the only undefeated side in the tournament.
But has Smith created history? Well, sort of…
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Which player has been called up to the World Cup from the lowest division?
Tommy Smith is in the sixth tier of football, if we consider today (May 29) to be the 2026-27 season.
This is the lowest we could find down the English pyramid.
Chris Gunter of AFC Wimbledon and Jonny Williams of Swindon Town were both in League 2, the fourth tier, when they made the Wales squad for 2022.
A Guardian report in 2022 found that Richmond Forson was called up for Togo for the 2006 World Cup when he played for Vendée Poiré sur Vie.
This club was in the seventh tier of French football at the time and, therefore the possible lowest tier to have ever been mined for World Cup talent.
For context, England and the majority of favourites have exclusively called up players from the top flights of football systems.
