Two more tickets on Pim Verbeek's plane to South Africa have been secured and the Socceroos coach will blend first-choice stars with fringe dwellers against New Zealand on Monday night to complete his World Cup check-in.

Verbeek will cut his provisional squad from 31 to 27 on Tuesday following the New Zealand friendly at the MCG, with the chosen players heading to the pre-World Cup training camp in South Africa.

The Dutchman must send another four home by June 1 to come up with his official 23-man World Cup squad.

Verbeek ended some of the speculation on Sunday, surprisingly guaranteeing Hull City midfielder Richard Garcia and Middlesbrough defender Rhys Williams passage despite their squad player status.

Both have been on restricted duties at the training camp in Melbourne because of niggling injuries but they will be among the 27 going to South Africa on Wednesday.

"They will be in the 27 because I have to make a final decision on June 1," Verbeek said.

"I think they could play tomorrow but that is too early, so we will build them up for the next three days and from the first day in South Africa, they are 100 per cent available for the training sessions."

It means 18 places in the provisional 27-man squad are effectively locked in.

Harry Kewell and Mark Schwarzer won't play against New Zealand because of injury, while Scott Chipperfield will be rested.

But all will be going to South Africa.

Skipper Lucas Neill, Craig Moore, Jason Culina, Vince Grella and Brett Holman are first-choice players guaranteed to start against New Zealand, while Chipperfield's understudy David Carney is expected to put in a full shift at left-back against the All Whites.

Tim Cahill, Mark Bresciano, Luke Wilkshire, Brett Emerton, Josh Kennedy and goalkeepers Adam Federici and Brad Jones will also be part of the 27-man squad regardless of how much game time they are given against the All Whites.

Beyond that lies the intrigue and much will become clearer with Verbeek's selections against New Zealand.

Reading goalkeeper Federici is expected to make his Socceroos debut as Schwarzer recovers from a minor thumb injury.

Teenage winger Tommy Oar and striker Scott McDonald, yet to score in 15 matches for his country, will also see game time as both teams are allowed six substitutions.

But Verbeek said the training sessions in Melbourne had been just as much a platform to earn World Cup selection as Monday night's match.

"For me the game tomorrow is one of eight sessions. For me, the training sessions we had this week are as important as the game we have tomorrow evening," he said.

"It's not that if one player plays a bad game on Monday, he is automatically off (the 27-man squad).

"It can happen now you are in the best form of your life and in three weeks it can change. It could also be the other way round.

"My selection will be made on the balance of the squad we need. Balance for the games, balance for the training sessions, balance in the team if something happens with injuries and yellow or red cards."

The Socceroos haven't played New Zealand in five years - Australia's departure from the Oceania confederation to Asia putting the teams on vastly different World Cup qualification paths.

New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert said it was an important hitout for his side for match practice ahead of their World Cup opener against Slovakia on June 15.

"We haven't played since November 14 as a collective group of players, so it's really just getting back on the pitch and getting playing again," Herbert said.

Key New Zealand players Ryan Nelsen, Shane Smeltz and Chris Killen are all expected to start.

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