Madison Sharkey has been named in the U16 Football Ferns squad to compete in the OFC Women’s Championship next month in Samoa.
The tournament doubles as qualifying for the U17 World Cup to take place next year.
Sharkey has been a regular member of the U18 Phoenix women’s side playing in the Central League this season, and will now get a chance to feature for her country.
New Zealand will begin their title defence against Tonga on 2 August 2025, before facing Solomon Islands on 5 August and American Samoa on 8 August.
Academy head of female development Callum Holmes is delighted for Sharkey.
“We are very proud to have Maddy part of the NZ U16 team, it’s a testament to her hard work,” he said.
“We are looking forward to seeing her perform on the international stage.
“It’s important we continue to develop players for not only our first team but also for our national teams.
“We hope to see more players selected for international teams across all age groups in the future.”
Cover photo credit: AW Media
