New Zealand women's national football team Last updated September 18, 2025 Women's national association football team representing New Zealand
New Zealand Nickname(s) Football Ferns [ 1] Association New Zealand Football Confederation OFC (Oceania) Head coach Michael Mayne Captain Ali Riley Most caps Ria Percival (166) Top scorer Amber Hearn (54 ) FIFA code NZL Current 33 [ 2] Highest 16 (December 2013, July 2015 – March 2016) Lowest 33 (June 2025) New Zealand 2–0 Hong Kong Hong Kong ; 25 August 1975) New Zealand 21–0 Samoa Auckland , New Zealand; 9 October 1998) North Korea 11–0 New Zealand Brisbane , Australia; 24 February 2004)Appearances 6 (first in 1991 ) Best result Group stage (1991 , 2007 , 2011 , 2015 , 2019 , 2023 ) Appearances 5 (first in 2008 ) Best result Quarter-finals (2012 ) Appearances 11 (first in 1983 ) Best result Champions (1983 , 1991 , 2007 , 2010 , 2014 , 2018 )
The New Zealand women's national football team represents New Zealand in international football competitions, and is governed by New Zealand Football (NZF). They are nicknamed the Football Ferns .
The New Zealand national team has taken part in the FIFA Women's World Cup six times, making their debut in 1991 . [ 3] New Zealand co-hosted the 2023 World Cup alongside Australia . [ 4] They have failed to go past the group stage in all occasions.
History The New Zealand Women's Soccer Association was founded in 1975. By invitation, the team took part in the Asian Women's Championship in 1975 and won the championship. [ 5] They have since then played in the Oceanic Championship.
As Australia left the OFC, New Zealand had no serious and competitive rivals in Oceania. This made New Zealand's qualification to the World Cup and Olympics easier having contested every edition of both tournaments since 2007.
New Zealand co-hosted the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup along with Australia after being awarded it on 25 June 2020 as the favourites over other bidder Colombia. The Football Ferns automatically qualified as co-host. Despite winning their opening match against Norway , their first World Cup win for either a women's or men's World Cup, [ 6] they suffered a shocking loss to debutants Philippines and later drew to Switzerland in their final match, and were eliminated after Norway defeated Philippines and finished above New Zealand on goal difference. This was the first time the hosts were eliminated from the group stage. They only managed to score one goal during the tournament. [ 7]
FIFA world rankings As of 14 July 2021 [ 9] Worst Ranking Best Ranking Worst Mover Best Mover
Results and fixtures The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled. [ 10] [ 11]
Legend Win Draw Lose Fixture
Coaching staff Current coaching staff Position Name Technical director Andrew Boyens Head coach Assistant coach Jenny Bindon Assistant coach Assistant coach Goalkeeping coach Performance Analyst Sports Scientist
Players Current squad friendly matches against Venezuela on 31 May and 3 June 2025. [ 37]
Caps and goals correct as of 3 June 2025, after the match against Venezuela . [ 38] Recent call-ups The following players have also been called up to the squad within the past 12 months.
Captains [ 39]
†Current New Zealand co-captain
Records Bold players are still active.
Statistics as of 19 February 2024 . [ 39] Ria Percival is the most capped player Amber Hearn is the all-time top scorer Competitive record FIFA Women's World Cup history Year Host Round Date Opponent Result Stadium 1991 China Group stage 17 November Denmark L 0–3 Tianhe Stadium , Guangzhou 19 November Norway L 0–4 Guangdong Provincial Stadium , Guangzhou 21 November China L 1–4 New Plaza Stadium , Foshan 2007 China Group stage 12 September Brazil L 0–5 Wuhan Stadium , Wuhan 15 September Denmark L 0–220 September China L 0–2 Tianjin Olympic Centre Stadium , Tianjin 2011 Germany Group stage 27 June Japan L 1–2 Ruhrstadion , Bochum 1 July England L 1–2 Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion , Dresden 5 July Mexico D 2–2 Rhein-Neckar-Arena , Sinsheim 2015 Canada Group stage 6 June Netherlands L 0–1 Commonwealth Stadium , Edmonton 11 June Canada D 0–015 June China D 2–2 Winnipeg Stadium , Winnipeg 2019 France Group stage 11 June Netherlands L 0–1 Stade Océane , Le Havre 15 June Canada L 0–2 Stade des Alpes , Grenoble 20 June Cameroon L 1–2 Stade de la Mosson , Montpellier 2023 Australia New Zealand Group stage 20 July Norway W 1–0 Eden Park , Auckland 25 July Philippines L 0–1 Wellington Regional Stadium , Wellington 30 July Switzerland D 0–0 Forsyth Barr Stadium , Dunedin
OFC Women's Nations Cup record Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA 1983 Champions 1st 4 3 1 0 24 3 1986 Third place 3rd 4 2 0 2 3 3 1989 Runners-up 2nd 5 4 0 1 10 1 1991 Champions 1st 4 3 0 1 28 1 1994 Runners-up 2nd 4 3 0 1 10 2 1998 Runners-up 2nd 4 3 0 1 41 3 2003 Runners-up 2nd 4 3 0 1 29 2 2007 Champions 1st 3 3 0 0 21 1 2010 Champions 1st 5 5 0 0 50 0 2014 Champions 1st 3 3 0 0 30 0 2018 Champions 1st 5 5 0 0 43 0 2022 Did not enter 2025 Total 6 titles 11/13 45 37 1 7 289 16
References 1 2 "Soccer women step out with new name – Football Ferns" . Stuff . 31 January 2009. Retrieved 29 July 2023 . ↑ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking" . FIFA . 7 August 2025. Retrieved 7 August 2025 . ↑ "1975 ASIAN CUP" . New Zealand Football on NZfootball.co.nz . Archived from the original on 2 September 2007. Retrieved 5 December 2008 . ↑ Diamond, Drew (12 November 2023). "World Cup legacy continues to take effect in Aotearoa-New Zealand" . Her Football Hub . Retrieved 12 November 2023 . ↑ "1975" . RSSSF . Retrieved 11 April 2019 . ↑ Gastelum, Andrew (20 July 2023). "New Zealand Records First World Cup Win With Upset Over Norway" . Sports Illustrated . ↑ "New Zealand makes history by being ousted in group stage, as Group A is settled" . Fox Sports . 31 July 2023. ↑ "Nike unveils Football Ferns FIFA World Cup team kits and innovative period wear" . New Zealand Herald . Retrieved 20 July 2023 . ↑ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking – Associations – New Zealand – Women's" . FIFA . 25 June 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021 . ↑ "New Zealand - New Zealand - Results and fixtures - Soccerway" . int.soccerway.com . ↑ "New Zealand [ Women] - Historical results" . worldfootball.net . 1 September 2023. ↑ "Behind-closed-doors match called off between Ferns and Chinese Taipei" . friendsoffootballnz.com . 5 April 2025. Retrieved 6 April 2025 . ↑ " . friendsoffootballnz.com . 6 April 2025. Retrieved 6 April 2025 . ↑ "Coaching Records" . The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website . Retrieved 3 January 2024 . ↑ "Page 6. Women's international football" . Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand . Ministry for Culture and Heritage . 5 September 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2024 . The first head coach of the national women's team was Wellington-based Dave Farrington, who held the role from 1975 to 1979. ↑ "Fan discovers grandad among locker room legends" . FIFA Museum . FIFA . 9 September 2016. Armstrong would also later take the coaching reins of the New Zealand women' side in 1980. 1 2 Smith, Tony (25 May 2023). "From 70s restart to Fifa Women's World Cup hosting - NZ football's remarkable revival" . Stuff . Roy Cox - rated by women's football historian Jeremy Ruane as "the godfather" of the women's game - had a coaching wins ratio of 56% from 1983 to 1987 - and Dave Boardman (1988-94) 55 %. ↑ Riddle, Charles (18 August 2017). "Obituary: Waikato women's football pioneer ahead of his time" . Stuff . ↑ Wilson, Sam (23 June 2023). "Football Ferns mourn former player and coach Nora Watkins" . Stuff . She later went on to have a hugely successful coaching career at domestic level before taking charge of the national side for a two-match series against Australia in March 1995 – the first woman to hold that position. ↑ Ruane, Jeremy. "Michele Cox – Quite Simply, The Best" . The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website . Retrieved 3 January 2024 . Thus four years of frustration ensued, until the appointment in 1995 of a new national coach, Maurice Tillotson. ↑ Maddaford, Terry. "Soccer: Fallon and the Rufers tipped as coaches for Kings" . The New Zealand Herald . ↑ Eriksen, Alanah (6 May 2009). "Ex-All White upset by murder story" . The New Zealand Herald . ↑ "Ferns coach to take side through to 2023 Women's World Cup revealed" . New Zealand Football . 1 September 2021. former captain Wendi Henderson jointly held the role of coach with fellow former international Ali Grant in October 2004 ↑ Maddaford, Terry (26 April 2005). "Soccer: New coach draws side from far and wide" . The New Zealand Herald . ↑ Smith, Tony (2 April 2022). "How Māori wisdom helped football coach John Herdman on the road to World Cup glory" . Stuff . Aged 31, he took over the Football Ferns coaching for two matches against China in 2006. ↑ Brown, Michael (9 December 2006). "Soccer: Allan Jones' last crusade" . The New Zealand Herald . ↑ Maddaford, Terry (1 March 2007). "Soccer: Women's coach quits" . The New Zealand Herald . ↑ Runae\f's, Jeremy. "Herdman Embraces "A Massive Responsibility" . ↑ "Herdman finishing as Football Ferns coach" . Stuff . 2 September 2011. ↑ "New Football Ferns coach appointed" . Radio New Zealand . 14 September 2011. ↑ Voerman, Andrew (2 November 2017). "Departing Football Ferns coach Tony Readings says time right for him to go" . Stuff . ↑ "Heraf named as new Ferns Coach" . New Zealand Football . 20 December 2017. ↑ "New Zealand women's football coach resigns amid alleged 'toxic culture' . The Guardian . 31 July 2018. ↑ "Sermanni named as Ferns Head Coach" . New Zealand Football . 26 October 2018. ↑ "Football Ferns coach Tom Sermanni steps down" . 1116 SEN . 10 June 2021. ↑ " . 1News . Retrieved 16 September 2024 . ↑ "Five Changes in Ford Football Ferns Squad Named for Two-Match Series Against Venezuela" . New Zealand Football. 14 May 2025. ↑ New Zealand Team 1 2 "Roll of Honour" . The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website . Archived from the original on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021 . ↑ "Women's game thriving in the Algarve" . FIFA . 9 March 2011. Archived from the original on 13 March 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2014 . External links
General Statistics Players Goals World Cups OFC Nations Cup Olympic Games Rivalries Other NZF teams † By invitation, the New Zealand team took part in the 1975 AFC Women's Championship. They have since then played in the Oceanic Championship.
National teams
League system
Men (level 1) Men (level 2) Men (level 3) Men (level 4) Men (level 5) Men (level 6) Northland Division 1 NRF Championship Division 1 WaiBop Championship Capital Division 2 Taranaki Championship Manawatu Championship Whanganui Roly Taylor Championship Hawkes Bay Division 2 Mainland Division 2 Otago Division 3 Southland Division 2 Unaffiliated West Coast Senior FootballWomen Youth
Domestic cups
Awards Lists
New Zealand squads – FIFA Women's World Cup
New Zealand women's football squads – Summer Olympics
New Zealand at the FIFA Women's World Cup
Champions Runner-up Third place Fourth place Quarter-finals Group stage
Champions Runner-up Third place Fourth place Quarter-finals Group stage
Champions Runner-up Third place Fourth place Quarter-finals Group stage
Champions Runner-up Third place Fourth place Quarter-finals Round of 16 Group stage
Champions Runner-up Third place Fourth place Quarter-finals Round of 16 Group stage
Champions Runner-up Third place Fourth place Quarter-finals Round of 16 Group stage
† Associate member – Not a member of FIFA
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(7 August 2025) [2] 
New Zealand 2–0 Hong Kong 
North Korea 11–0 New Zealand 
