Uncapped Auckland City duo Ian Hogg and Adam McGeorge have been added to the All Whites squad for impending World Cup qualifiers in the Solomon Islands and internationals against Honduras and El Salvador, with Ryan Nelsen's injury-enforced omission now confirmed.
McGeorge, who captained the New Zealand U-23 team to Olympic qualification in March, and Hogg, who is on course to appear in a second straight Olympic games, bring New Zealand's OFC Nations Cup squad to a full quota of 23.
However, the All Whites will be without Ryan Nelsen for the start of their World Cup qualifying campaign after medical staff at Tottenham confirmed an ankle injury picked up towards the end of the season will see Nelsen out for four weeks.
"I met with the doctors at Spurs while I was in London recently and am fully across the situation with Ryan and where he is at physically," New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert said.
"The injury he's has been carrying needs rest and we've not going to do the player or our team any favours by throwing him into the demanding schedule we've got coming up and risking greater long-term damage.
"If he gets the rest and treatment he needs now then we increase our chances of having him for the next stage of qualifying and the Olympic Games."