Wellington Phoenix FC (women)

Last updated

Wellington Phoenix Women
Full nameWellington Phoenix Women's Football Club
Nickname(s)Phoenix, Wahinix, Nix
Short nameWellington
Founded10 September 2021;4 years ago (10 September 2021)
Ground Jerry Collins Stadium, Porirua [1]
Capacity19,000
OwnerWelnix
ChairmanRobert Morrison
Coach Bev Priestman
League A-League Women
2024–25 9th of 12
Website https://www.wellingtonphoenix.com/
Soccerball current event.svg Current season
Active teams of Wellington Phoenix
Football pictogram.svg Football pictogram.svg Football pictogram.svg
A-League Men
Wellington Phoenix Reserves
(Men's) 		A-League Women

Wellington Phoenix Women's Football Club is a professional women's football club based in Wellington, New Zealand. The Phoenix competes in the Australian premier women's soccer competition A-League Women, under licence from Football Federation Australia and New Zealand Football.

Contents

History

Establishment

For several years, there have been talks concerning the creation of a professional women's football team in New Zealand so as to boost the level of women's football in New Zealand and Oceania with the cost of travelling to away games a major barrier. [2] [3] There were no professional clubs in New Zealand and the National League only featured amateur teams. The talks intensified after New Zealand won the rights to co-host the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup and the W-League plans to add three more expansion teams by that time. [4] [5]

In September 2021, Phoenix announced they were one of the clubs in consideration under the W-League expansion and later confirmed creating a women's team. [6] [7]

Inaugural season

On 11 October 2021, Wellington Phoenix announced Gemma Lewis would be the inaugural head coach of the side. They also announced that Natalie Lawrence would be her assistant for the 2021–22 season, making them one of two all-female coaching staffs in the A-League Women. [8] A few days later, they announced former Perth Glory keeper and 2020–21 players’ player of the year, Lily Alfeld as the clubs inaugural signing. [9] Alfeld was later announced as the club's inaugural captain. [10]

Phoenix played their home games at Wollongong with the hope of returning to their home stadium in Wellington later in the season. Wellington Phoenix started their debut season in the A-League in the 2021–22 season with a 0–0 draw against Western Sydney Wanderers at the Wollongong Showgrounds. [11]

Ava Pritchard scored the club's first goal in their second game of the season, in a 1–5 loss to Newcastle Jets. [12]

On 11 February 2022, the Phoenix achieved their first win in A-League Women history in a 3–0 away win against Canberra United. [13]

Players

First-team squad

As of 13 September 2025 [14]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
3 DF Flag of Lebanon.svg  LBN Tiana Jaber
4 DF Flag of New Zealand.svg  NZL Mackenzie Barry
7 FW Flag of New Zealand.svg  NZL Grace Jale
8 MF Flag of New Zealand.svg  NZL Macey Fraser
10 MF Flag of New Zealand.svg  NZL Alyssa Whinham
11 MF Flag of New Zealand.svg  NZL Manaia Elliott
12 DF Flag of New Zealand.svg  NZL Ella McMillan(scholarship)
13 GK Flag of New Zealand.svg  NZL Brooke Neary(youth)
15 MF Flag of New Zealand.svg  NZL Daisy Brazendale
16 DF Flag of New Zealand.svg  NZL Marisa van der Meer
17 MF Flag of New Zealand.svg  NZL Ela Jerez(scholarship)
18 FW Flag of New Zealand.svg  NZL Ella McCann(scholarship)
No.Pos.NationPlayer
19 MF Flag of New Zealand.svg  NZL Olivia Ingham
20 FW Flag of New Zealand.svg  NZL Emma Main
21 DF Flag of New Zealand.svg  NZL Lara Wall(scholarship)
22 GK Flag of New Zealand.svg  NZL Aimee Danieli
— FW Flag of Nepal.svg  NEP Sabitra Bhandari
— DF Flag of New Zealand.svg  NZL CJ Bott
— GK Flag of New Zealand.svg  NZL Victoria Esson
— DF Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg  DOM Lucía León
— MF Flag of the Netherlands.svg  NED Tessel Middag
— FW Flag of New Zealand.svg  NZL Pia Vlok(scholarship)
— DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Ellie Walker

Management team

Technical staff

As of 14 August 2024 [15]
PositionStaff
Manager Bev Priestman
Assistant managerAmy Shepherd
2nd Assistant/Team analystTory Schiltgen
Goalkeeping CoachNick Stanton
Strength and conditioning coachKieran McMinn
Head physiotherapistBeanie Joyes
Team operations & equipment managerToni West-Luamanu

Captaincy history

DatesNameHonours (as captain)
2021–2023 Flag of New Zealand.svg Lily Alfeld [16] Inaugural club captain
2023–2025 Flag of New Zealand.svg Annalie Longo [17] [18]
2025–Vacant

Records and statistics

Most appearances

Last updated 17 November 2024Competitive, professional matches only. All current players are in bold

NameYearsA-League WomenFinalsTotal
1 Flag of New Zealand.svg Mackenzie Barry 2021–53053
2 Flag of New Zealand.svg Kate Taylor 2021–202442042
3 Flag of New Zealand.svg Alyssa Whinham 2021–41041
4 Flag of New Zealand.svg Michaela Foster 2021–202338038
Flag of New Zealand.svg Zoe McMeeken 2021–38038

Top goalscorers

Last updated 30 March 2024Competitive, professional matches only, appearances including substitutes appear in brackets.

NameYearsA-League WomenFinalsTotalGames per goal
1 Flag of Venezuela.svg Mariana Speckmaier 2023–202410 (21)0 (0)10 (21)0.48
2 Flag of New Zealand.svg Grace Jale 2021–2022, 2024–6 (12)0 (0)6 (12)0.5
3 Flag of New Zealand.svg Emma Main 2023–5 (20)0 (0)5 (20)0.25
Flag of New Zealand.svg Chloe Knott 2021–20235 (38)0 (0)5 (38)0.13
5 Flag of New Zealand.svg Milly Clegg 2022–20234 (16)0 (0)4 (16)0.25
Flag of New Zealand.svg Michaela Robertson 2022–20244 (25)0 (0)4 (25)0.16
Flag of New Zealand.svg Ava Pritchard 2021–20234 (32)0 (0)4 (32)0.13
Flag of New Zealand.svg Kate Taylor 2021–20244 (42)0 (0)4 (42)0.1

Season-by-season record

SeasonDivisionLeagueTop scorer
PWDLFAGDPtsPosFinalsNameGoals
2021–22 A-League Women 1421111336–23710th — Flag of New Zealand.svg Grace Jale 6
2022–23 A-League Women 1834112030–101311th — Flag of New Zealand.svg Milly Clegg 4
2023–24 A-League Women 2291123633+3288th — Flag of Venezuela.svg Mariana Speckmaier 10
2024–25 A-League Women 2373132530−5249th — Flag of England.svg Olivia Fergusson 5
Champions
Runners-up
Last place
Did not make the playoff
♦Top scorer in competition
EFElimination finals
SFSemi-finals

References

  1. ↑ "Porirua to host Phoenix Women". 12 September 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  2. ↑ "A-League club aiming to start new W-League team". The Women's Game. 11 June 2020. Archived from the original on 6 July 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  3. ↑ "New W-League team would likely be based in Sydney". The Women's Game. 14 June 2020. Archived from the original on 7 July 2020.
  4. ↑ Gilhooly, Daniel (26 June 2020). "World Cup sparks call for pro team in New Zealand". The Women's Game. Archived from the original on 29 August 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  5. ↑ "APL announces plans for expanded W-League". abc.net.au. 2 September 2021. Archived from the original on 2 September 2021.
  6. ↑ Rollo, Phillip; Voerman, Andrew (3 September 2021). "Wellington Phoenix to be included in expanded W-League before 2023 World Cup". Stuff . Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  7. ↑ Voerman, Andrew (10 September 2021). "Wellington Phoenix to field women's team in W-League with quota of Australian players". Stuff . Archived from the original on 12 September 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  8. ↑ "Wellington Phoenix Announces Lewis and Lawrence as Inaugural A-League Women's Coaching Staff". Wellington Phoenix. 11 October 2021. Archived from the original on 11 October 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  9. ↑ "Experienced goalkeeper Lily Alfeld locked in as Wellington Phoenix women's first signing". Stuff . 15 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  10. ↑ "Lily Alfeld to captain Wellington Phoenix during debut A-League Women season". Stuff . 30 November 2021. Archived from the original on 29 November 2021.
  11. ↑ "Phoenix draw in A-League Women debut against Wanderers". ABC News . 3 December 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  12. ↑ Rollo, Phillip (12 December 2021). "Ava Pritchard creates history with Wellington Phoenix's first A-League Women goal". Stuff . Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  13. ↑ Rollo, Phillip (11 February 2022). "Wellington Phoenix celebrate first win in A-League Women after beating Canberra". Stuff . Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  14. ↑ "Ninja A-League Round 1 Match Preview". Wellington Phoenix . 31 October 2024.
  15. ↑ "New backroom staff for Phoenix women". Wellington Phoenix . 31 August 2023.
  16. ↑ Rollo, Phillip (30 November 2021). "Lily Alfeld to captain Wellington Phoenix during debut A-League Women season". Stuff . Retrieved 6 August 2025.
  17. ↑ "Longo to lead new-look Phoenix". Wellington Phoenix. 11 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  18. ↑ "Longo bids emotional farewell". Wellington Phoenix. 20 April 2025. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
  19. ↑ "W League Crowd statistics". ALeagueStats. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
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