New Zealand vs Iran FIFA World Cup Match Attracts High Interest: New Zealand's football match against Iran has drawn widespread attention due to Elijah Just's impressive two-goal performance.
Archived Pulse in New Zealand
Country pulse digest
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Archived Pulse in New Zealand
New Zealand's interest in the 2026 FIFA World Cup intensifies, especially around key matches and standout players such as Elijah Just and Sarpreet Singh. Elsewhere, Lincraft's closure marks a major retail shift, and recent deadly plane crashes in the U.S. have raised global awareness.
Active topics
13
Search volume
122.9K
Leading topic
Sports
Attention mix
What the country is searching
13
Sports62% (8)
World15% (2)
Entertainment15% (2)
Money8% (1)
Why people are curious
People in New Zealand are predominantly following sports events, particularly the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to stay updated on live matches, player performances, and tournament progress, as indicated by the 'following' intent on football-related searches. They are also explaining or deepening their understanding of local developments such as the Lincraft store closures. The interest in plane crashes, again primarily driven by a following intent, reflects public concern for recent tragic incidents globally. Entertainment queries about figures like Jeremy Clarkson show an intent to follow ongoing cultural developments and media events.
What to know now
The pulse, explained
Cape Verde's Historic World Cup Draw Generates Buzz: Cape Verde's surprising 0-0 draw against Spain in the FIFA World Cup has become a major talking point among fans.
Jeremy Clarkson Continues Trending in New Zealand Entertainment: Jeremy Clarkson remains a popular entertainment figure in New Zealand amid new media coverage and public reactions.
Lincraft Announces Closure of All Stores in NZ and Australia: Lincraft is closing all its stores in Australia and New Zealand after 80 years, marking a significant retail development.
Rise in Searches Following Multiple Deadly Plane Crashes: Recent deadly plane crash incidents in the United States have caused increased searches about plane crashes today in New Zealand.
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Ranked searches
What people are curious about in New Zealand
The leading searches, their context, and the related questions forming around them.
01Sports
cape verde
Cape Verde has become a trending topic due to their surprising performance against Spain in the FIFA World Cup, resulting in a 0-0 draw.
5K+ searches · 1,000% growth
spain vs cape verdespain vs cabo verde
02Sports
nz vs iran
The search trend 'nz vs iran' reflects strong interest in the 2026 FIFA World Cup match between New Zealand and Iran, driven by Elijah Just's standout performance.
100K+ searches · 1,000% growth
iran vs new zealandelijah justcountdown
03Sports
belgium vs egypt
The Belgium vs Egypt football match attracted significant attention as part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, ending in a 1-1 draw.
5K+ searches · 1,000% growth
egypt vs belgiumbelgiumlukaku
04Sports
chris wood
Chris Wood is attracting increased attention in New Zealand in connection with international football, coinciding with notable changes in FIFA men's world rankings ahead of the.
2K+ searches · 1,000% growth
fifa rankingsfootball world rankings
05World
auckland northwest busway land acquisition
The Auckland Northwest Busway Land Acquisition trend relates to the government's efforts to secure land for developing a new busway project in Auckland's northwest region.
2K+ searches · 1,000% growth
06Entertainment
jeremy clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson is currently a trending search topic in New Zealand, showing significant growth in interest.
2K+ searches · 1,000% growth
07Sports
cabo verde
Interest in Cabo Verde has surged due to their historic performance in the World Cup 2026, where they shocked Spain with a draw on their debut.
2K+ searches · 400% growth
08Entertainment
hbo max
HBO Max is gaining popularity in New Zealand with a 200% increase in search volume, now exceeding 2,000 monthly searches.
2K+ searches · 200% growth
hbo max nz
09Sports
fifa world cup standings
People in New Zealand are actively following the FIFA World Cup standings amid a surge in interest.
1K+ searches · 200% growth
10Sports
sarpreet singh
Sarpreet Singh is gaining attention as the Indian-origin footballer representing New Zealand at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
1K+ searches · 1,000% growth
11Sports
fifa world cup stats
Interest in FIFA World Cup stats is surging, particularly around team performances and player records during recent matches and draws at the 2026 event.
500+ searches · 400% growth
12Money
lincraft
Lincraft, a well-known craft retailer in Australia and New Zealand, is closing all of its stores after 80 years in business.
200+ searches · 1,000% growth
Reporting and context
Source coverage helping explain why this topic is moving.
Spain held to 0-0 draw by Cape Verde: Is this World Cup’s biggest shock? - The Athletic - The New York Times
FIFA World Cup Day 5 live updates: Iran plays in U.S. amid peace deal; Saudi Arabia holds off Uruguay for upset draw - N…
Cape Verde GK Vozinha stopped World Cup favorites Spain ... then gained 5M followers - ESPN
Cape Verde goalie Vozinha's social media following explodes after Spain draw - NBC 6 South Florida
Cape Verde Defeats Spain, 0-0 - Defector
The wider weekly pattern
Curiosity trail
Related searches that led here, appeared alongside it, or followed.