AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic came to blows with team-mate Oguchi Onyewu in training on Friday and the pair had to be separated by the rest of the squad.
The United States were given an early World Cup wake-up call when they were beaten 4-2 at home by the Czech Republic in their opening warm-up game on Tuesday.
The 33-year-old has vast experience of playing in the United Kingdom, United States and the Gulf.
New Zealand are placed in Group B along with Turkey, Paraguay and Mali.