WELLINGTON, New Zealand — David Beckham arrived in New Zealand Wednesday for a second round of soccer diplomacy, receiving a rousing, though calmer, welcome than on his first visit a year ago.

Beckham and his Los Angeles Galaxy team are due to play an exhibition match in Auckland on Saturday. He touched down in New Zealand at 5:30 a.m. local time looking travel weary, standing quietly among teammates as a group of indigenous Maori performed a traditional welcoming ceremony.