Head coach Leon Birnie has named his 21-player squad for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2024, taking place in Colombia from 1 September. 

The squad features 13 players based in Aotearoa New Zealand and eight based internationally in Australia, England, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, and the USA.

Two players selected, Milly Clegg and Ruby Nathan, have been capped for the Ford Football Ferns, as well as three players, Aimee Danieli, Manaia Elliott, and Emma Pijnenburg, have been called up to senior national team squads. 

16 of Birnie’s side for the 2024 tournament were part of his FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup team in 2022. 

The full FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2024 squad is:

Amber Bennett - Cashmere Technical AFC, Aotearoa New Zealand

Zoe Benson - Eastern Suburbs AFC, Aotearoa New Zealand

Kiara Bercelli - U.C. Sampdoria, Italy

Daisy Brazendale - Wellington Phoenix, Aotearoa New Zealand

Milly Clegg - Racing Louisville FC, USA

Lara Colpi - BSC Young Boys, Switzerland

Aimee Danieli - Wellington Phoenix, Aotearoa New Zealand

Manaia Elliott - Wellington Phoenix, Aotearoa New Zealand

Helena Errington - Unattached  

Ella Findlay - Western Springs AFC, Aotearoa New Zealand

Marie Green - Wellington Phoenix, Aotearoa New Zealand

Suya Haering - FFC Turbine Potsdam, Germany

Olivia Ingham - Wellington Phoenix, Aotearoa New Zealand

Maddie Iro - High Point University, USA

Ella McCann - Wellington Phoenix, Aotearoa New Zealand

Zoe McMeeken - Wellington Phoenix, Aotearoa New Zealand

Ella McMillan - Wellington Phoenix, Aotearoa New Zealand

Ruby Nathan - Canberra United, Australia  

Olivia Page - Sheffield United FC, England

Emma Pijnenburg - Feyenoord Rotterdam, Netherlands

Rebekah Trewhitt - Wellington Phoenix, Aotearoa New Zealand

“I’m excited to be naming this team and look forward to assembling as a squad in Colombia for the tournament” says head coach Leon Birnie. 

“We believe this is a strong squad with a lot of experience both at age-group level and, for some of the players, of the senior and professional game.

“I have worked with a lot of these players for a number of years, so it is a privilege to be taking them to another FIFA event. 

“All of the teams at the tournament are going to be strong, but we are excited about challenging ourselves at this level and proudly representing Aotearoa New Zealand on the global stage.”

Aotearoa New Zealand have been drawn in Group E at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2024 alongside Austria, Ghana and Japan.  The team will kick off against Japan on 3 September (NZT), before facing Austria on 6 September (NZT) and Ghana on 9 September (NZT).   

MATCH DETAILS FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2024 – Group E Fixtures:

Japan vs New Zealand

2 September 2024 [local] / 3 September 2024 [NZT]

KO 8pm [local] / 1pm [NZT]

Estadio El Techo, Bogotá, Colombia 

Austria vs New Zealand

5 September 2024 [local] / 6 September 2024 [NZT]

KO 8pm [local] / 1pm [NZT]

Estadio El Techo, Bogotá, Colombia 

New Zealand vs Ghana

8 September 2024 [local] / 9 September 2024 [NZT]

KO 6pm [local] / 11am [NZT]

Estadio Pascual Guerrero, Cali, Colombia

Article added: Tuesday 20 August 2024