The New Zealand women's national football team (recognised as Aotearoa New Zealand by FIFA)[3] 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.[4] New Zealand co-hosted the 2023 World Cup alongside Australia.[5] They have failed to go past the group stage in all occasions.
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.[6] 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,[7] 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.[8]
The New Zealand women's national football team are also known by their nickname the "Football Ferns".[1] Like their male counterparts, the team has traditionally worn all white kits. For the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, the Football Ferns switched to an all black first choice kit reminiscent of the New Zealand national rugby union team, as well as the country's national teams in other sports, including rugby league, field hockey, netball, basketball, volleyball, and limited overs cricket. The away kit pairs the traditional white shirts and socks with turquoise shorts.[9]
Worst Ranking Best Ranking Worst Mover Best Mover
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.[11][12]
Win Draw Lose Fixture
[16]
Dave Farrington (1975–1979)[17] Ken Armstrong (1980)[18]
Dave Boardman (1981–1982) Roy Cox (1983–1987)[19] Dave Boardman (1988–1994)[19] Jeff Coulshed (1994)[20] Nora Watkins (1995)[21] Maurice Tillotson (1995–1998)[22] Doug Moore (1999–2000)[23] Sandy Davie (2001–2003)[24] Fred Simpson (2003) Alison Grant & Wendi Henderson (2004)[25] Mick Leonard (2005)[26] John Herdman (2006)[27] Allan Jones (2006–2007)[28][29] John Herdman (2007–2011)[30][31] Tony Readings (2011–2017)[32][33]
Andreas Heraf (2017–2018)[34][35]
Tom Sermanni (2018–2021)[36][37]
Jitka Klimková (2021–)[38]Caps and goals are current as of 3 June 2024 after the match against Japan.[41]
The following players have been called up within the last 12 months and remain eligible for selection.
[42]
†Current New Zealand co-captain
Bold players are still active.
The Algarve Cup is an invitational tournament for national teams in women's association football hosted by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF). Held annually in the Algarve region of Portugal since 1994, it is one of the most prestigious and longest-running women's international football events and has been nicknamed the "Mini FIFA Women's World Cup".[43]
The SheBelieves Cup is a global invitational tournament for national teams in women's soccer hosted in the United States.
Oceania portalNew Zealand portal
Sports portal
Association football portalThe first head coach of the national women's team was Wellington-based Dave Farrington, who held the role from 1975 to 1979.
Armstrong would also later take the coaching reins of the New Zealand women' side in 1980.
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 %.
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.
Thus four years of frustration ensued, until the appointment in 1995 of a new national coach, Maurice Tillotson.
former captain Wendi Henderson jointly held the role of coach with fellow former international Ali Grant in October 2004
Aged 31, he took over the Football Ferns coaching for two matches against China in 2006.
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