Emma Taylor-Main

Emma Taylor-Main is in her fourth full season with the Wellington Phoenix after being Paul Temple’s first signing as head coach in 2023.

The forward trained with the Phoenix women throughout the 2022-23 A-League season and joined the squad as an injury replacement for the final three games of their campaign.

A Wellingtonian, she played all of her junior football for Upper Hutt City.

Taylor-Main represented New Zealand at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Jordan in 2016 before attending the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) in 2019.

Unfortunately, injuries cut short her time in the U.S. and forced her out of football for a year.

Taylor-Main returned in 2021 with Wellington United, whom she helped secure the Kate Sheppard Cup. She was named the winner of the Maia Jackman Trophy as the most valuable player in the final in March 2022.

She joined the academy shortly after, playing with the women’s team, coached by Temple, on Wednesday nights and training with boys’ teams.

Taylor-Main had a breakout campaign in 2023-24, scoring five goals and providing two assists to become a key player for the Phoenix.

Her performances led to her becoming a fan favourite and picking up the nickname “Main Train”.

Taylor-Main recommitted to the club in June 2024, signing a new one year deal despite interest from other clubs in the A-League.

She remained an ever-present member of the Wellington Phoenix matchday squad in her second full pro season making 22 appearances and scoring two goals.

> 2025-26 season

Emma Taylor-Main signed a two-year contract extension with the club ahead of her third full season.

Taylor-Main was limited to 12 appearances but in the process became the first Wellingtonian to play 50 A-League games for the Phoenix women.

She scored a brace in the team’s 3-0 win over Western Sydney Wanderers in December to, at the time, draw her level with Grace Jale and Mariana Speckmaier as the women’s all-time leading goalscorer.

Taylor-Main missed the final four matches of the regular season and the team’s maiden finals campaign with a chronic lumbar spine injury.