Not every World Cup story starts with a prodigy lighting up academies across Europe. Some start in League Two, with a player fighting just to make the matchday squad at Port Vale.
Ben Waine’s path to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America is one of those stories. The 25-year-old New Zealand forward was named to the All Whites’ squad around May 14, having clawed his way from the fringes of English lower-league football to the biggest tournament on the planet.
From Wellington to the world stage
Waine was born on June 11, 2001, and started his professional career with the Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand’s only professional club competing in Australia’s A-League. From there, he moved to England, joining Plymouth Argyle, with a loan spell at Mansfield Town. Then came Port Vale, where he signed a two-year deal on June 30, 2025. Playing in EFL League Two, the fourth tier of English football, his club season wrapped up on May 3, 2026, giving him just enough runway to pivot into international duty.
His market value as of May 2026 sits at roughly €400,000.
