CJ Bott

CJ Bott signed a two-year contract with her hometown club in August 2025 after eight years playing professionally in Europe.

The Football Ferns fullback left New Zealand as a 22-year-old in 2017 and first signed with USV Jena in Germany.

Bott moved to Sweden the following year to join Vittsjö GIK and after a couple of seasons there signed with Vålerenga in Norway.

She joined Leicester City in 2022 and spent three years with the Foxes in the Women’s Super League.

Bott has also been a Football Fern since 2014.

She has part of the Ferns squad at the 2015, 2019 and 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cups and is also a two-time Olympian.

Bott started all three of New Zealand’s group matches at the 2023 World Cup and at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

> 2025-26 season

CJ Bott was named as the women’s club captain and started the Wellington Phoenix’s first seven matches of the Ninja A-League campaign in a new central midfield role.

Bott watched the rest of the team’s record-breaking season from the sidelines after falling pregnant.

She continued to lead the side and supported stand-in captain Mackenzie Barry.

Bott plans to return to the pitch for the 2026-27 season.

“The next phase of my life is going to be a bit nuts. It already is crazy playing football professionally but adding a little one into the mix will be a lot busier.

“But I think it will be fun and a challenge that I’m more than ready to take on.”