Source: Radio New Zealand
Wellington Phoenix player Pia Vlok has been called up to the Football Ferns for the first time. photosport
Fresh from scoring Wellington Phoenix’s first hattrick in the A-League Women, Pia Vlok will make her senior debut with the Football Ferns as the team begins the qualification process for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027.
Head coach Michael Mayne has named two new faces in the 23-player squad for this month’s qualifying journey in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
Seventeen year-old Vlok, who captaining New Zealand at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup last year, is joined by Newcastle Jets’ standout Charlotte Lancaster in a new cycle for the Football Ferns.
Lancaster is having a breakout A-League season and has scored three goals in eight games from midfield.
Goalkeeper Maddie Iro is also selected as part of the initial squad for the first time after joining as an injury replacement for October’s games in Mexico and the USA.
“It is great to get this group together ahead of an important year and start the journey to achieve the first of our goals, qualifying for Brazil in 2027,” Mayne said.
“This tour presents some different challenges, especially with the global nature of our squad and players both in the middle of competitive seasons or in preseason and looking to establish themselves, so we have had to account for a number of factors when selecting the final 23.
“I am confident we have the right balance of those who were available for selection and a group that are able to get straight to work when we arrive in Honiara to secure our qualification for the semi and finals back in New Zealand.”
Mayne said he wanted competition to be high in every position but was also working to ensure players “can thrive mentally and physically at this level with the high demands to perform as a cohesive team”.
“What has been exciting to see, and aligns with our strategy to build capability, is seeing players performing well and consistently in their leagues, so rewarding Pia and Charlotte, who have earned call ups after making a big impact in the A-League Women, is great to be able to do.”
The Football Ferns will begin their FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 qualifying journey, as part of Group A at the Oceania Qualifiers, on 27 February against Samoa, before facing hosts Solomon Islands on 2 March and American Samoa on 5 March.
All games will be played at the National Stadium in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
The top two sides in Group A will then take on the top two from Group B, played in Fiji, in the Semi-Final and Final of the Oceania Qualifiers, played in New Zealand, to secure a place in Brazil for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027.
The full squad is:
- Liz Anton (25 caps/0 goals) Canberra United, Australia
- Mackenzie Barry (22/1) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
- Hannah Blake (8/0) Durham FC, England
- Kelli Brown (9/0) Newcastle Jets, Australia
- Claudia Bunge (38/0) Melbourne Victory, Australia
- Milly Clegg (20/2) Vittsjö GIK, Sweden
- Manaia Elliott (5/0) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
- Victoria Esson (31/0) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
- Michaela Foster (30/1) Durham FC, England
- Maya Hahn (8/1) FC Viktoria Berlin, Germany
- Maddie Iro (0/0) Hills United, Australia
- Deven Jackson (7/0) Melbourne City, Australia
- Grace Jale (35/8) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
- Katie Kitching (23/6) Sunderland AFC, England
- Charlotte Lancaster (debut) Newcastle Jets, Australia
- Meikayla Moore (75/4) Calgary Wild, Canada
- Emma Pijnenburg (8/0) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
- Indiah-Paige Riley (34/3) Crystal Palace, England
- Alina Santos (1/0) University of Denver, USA
- Rebekah Stott (108/4) Melbourne City, Australia
- Pia Vlok (debut) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
- Lara Wall (2/0) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
- Grace Wisnewski (5/0) FC Nordsjælland, Denmark
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand