Half a dozen Wellington Phoenix players have been rewarded with selection in the Football Ferns following the Nix’s record-breaking Ninja A-League campaign.
First team regulars Grace Jale (39 caps), Victoria Esson (33 caps), Mackenzie Barry (24 caps), Emma Pijnenburg (11 caps) and Manaia Elliott (8 caps) have been named in the 24-strong squad for next month’s internationals in Spain along with New Zealand U-20 goalkeeper Brooke Neary (uncapped), who was a training partner for the Ferns’ World Cup qualifiers in April.
A further four former Phoenix players, including Kate Taylor and Grace Wisnewski who were part of the club’s inaugural women’s team alongside Jale and Barry, have also been called up.
Jale, Esson, Pijnenburg and Elliott were all part of the squad which secured New Zealand a place at FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 in Brazil.
Barry has been recalled to the international arena after leading the Phoenix to its maiden A-League grand final.
Neary will join the Ferns after this week’s New Zealand U-20 internationals against Australia in Canberra.
Football Ferns head coach Michael Mayne has welcomed Neary into the squad for the first time.
“Brooke has already been through our age-group system, is currently in camp with the U-20s in Australia, and has a U-20 World Cup selection opportunity coming up in the coming months, so the timing makes a lot of sense after an impressive April camp as a training player,” Mayne said.
The Ford Football Ferns will face Haiti on Friday, June 5 (Saturday, June 6 NZT) before taking on Morocco four days later.
Both matches will kick-off at 4am NZT at Nuevo Estadio El Maulí in Malaga, Spain and will be broadcast live and free on FIFA+ and TVNZ+.
