We also look at some news for each Ninja A-League team—including some key signings and departures ahead of the 2025-26 season—a review of the top award winners from last season and Matildas news, including a look at their shocking 1-0 loss at home to CONCACAF’s Panama this summer.
Australian Ava Piazza Interview—from Newcastle, New South Wales, to Albergaria-A-Velha, Portugal to Yerevan, Armenia and back to Australia to join Brisbane Roar—she talks about her busy past eight months.
Australian defender Ava Piazza (20) spent a few weeks this summer with Pyunik of Armenia as they competed in the 2025-26 Women’s Champions League qualifiers (see: The Week in Women's Football: Farah Abu Tayeh exclusive; Examining UEFA Champions League qualifying - TribalFootball.com). This was the team that brought in four Iranian internationals for last year’s WCL qualifiers. After playing the first half of 2025 in Portugal, she was back in Sydney for a few weeks and received a call from her agent one Saturday morning, who offered her a short-term contract with Pyunik and she was on a flight that night to Doha (Qatar). She said that her contract was not for the Armenian League season but: “was just depending on how far we went in the Champions League; that was how long I would have stayed.”
She added that for her and their three American imports: “We didn’t understand much Armenian so we were in the dark and we just went with the flow and didn’t ask too many questions because we didn’t understand that much.”
Pyunik won its first qualifying game with a 1-0 win over Sofia with a 91st minute goal. Piazza explained the significance of the win: “That was amazing and Armenia had never won a (Women’s) Champions League game prior to that, so that was an amazing experience.”
In the second game, they faced Ljuboten of North Macedonia for a berth in the next round of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, which Piazza explained: “The second game was more disappointing. My roommate and I were quite sick ahead of the second game. That wasn’t our best game. We lost 4-nil. Things didn’t go our way… especially coming off the massive win of the first game.”
It wasn’t easy playing the home side Ljuboten either: “They did a few things against us, for example, the music was super high when we were warming up so we couldn’t hear the coach. Some of the ref’s decisions were colossal. It was a few small things but it’s part of the game and that’s part of the home advantage that you have in your country.”
We interviewed Ava when she was at home in Sydney. For the 2025-26 campaign, she has signed with Brisbane Roar of the Ninja A-League. This will be her third A-League side in three seasons, after starting the 2024-25 campaign with Newcastle Jets. At the start of 2025, she mutually ended her contract and moved to Portugal to play with Clube de Albergaria in Portugal’s BPI Liga, where she played in more than a dozen games, including Cup games. Her previous season in the A-League was with Canberra United, explaining that: “I was on the scholarship contract. I was a little bit younger but involved in some (six regular season) games.”
Piazza talked about her hopes for the season with Brisbane: “At Roar I want to focus on doing well there and reaching the objectives I set for the season and focus on that and do the best I can with the opportunity that’s been provided there.” She said about playing in Europe: “I guess at the moment, playing in Europe is a little bit hard because I don’t have a European passport. I am considered an international. In Italy (she is fluent in Italian) there are only 2-3 international slots per team and, most of the time, the internationals are marquis signings, so it makes it difficult for a 20-year-old that doesn’t have the most experience, if you are comparing to a Matildas player that’s playing full-time… It is a little challenging in that respect but I’m working on getting there in the future.”
In terms of playing in America, she did consider playing at the college level: “When I was a bit younger, 15 or 16, I was quite interested but there wasn’t much interest. Last year I went through the process with an agent and I got 60-70 emails and requests to speak. With the NCAA, having played in A-League (with Canberra), it was quite complex and it took like three months to get it (her amateur status) approved. By the time it did, I had a few A-League offers and (college) wasn’t for me at that time… It took so long—to make sure it wasn’t a professional deal—it was a complex process.”
We have heard the same concern from a lot from players abroad as well as college coaches and international players in the States—clearly if a player has not signed professional forms, they should be considered amateur and qualify to play for National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) teams.
A few NWSL players are currently on amateur contracts in order to qualify for college play and, during the summer, high school and college players compete in summer amateur leagues (UWS, W-League and WPSL) along with current professionals, but they are allowed to return to their college teams as the teams are registered as amateur in status. As Ava Piazza points out, the NCAA eligibility process for international players is much too complicated and confusing and needs to be streamlined for players around the world.
She said that more A-League players are moving to the second year Division I professional USL Super League (Australian youth international Morgan Aquino from Perth Glory joined D.C. Power, American Hannah Keane joined Tampa Bay Sun from Western United last year and American Catherine Zimmerman to Brooklyn FC from Western United during this offseason, Australian international pool player Sophie Harding moved from WSW to Ft. Lauderdale United, among others. Piazza felt that: “The USL League is a step up from A-League.”
One potential improvement for the Ninja A-League in the future is to have more multi-year contracts for players, which would reduce the pressure on players (something many European women’s leagues need to change as well): “It is still very much one year (on contracts)… (For) Smaller clubs, it is still very much one year deals. May, June, July is a very stressful period to be honest (for players). Agents are busy people and they have a lot of girls they are working (for). You don’t know where you are going to be, if you’re going to Europe or America, you really don’t know… It puts you in a difficult position. Mentally it can be a very tricky situation and rather unpleasant.”
Ava Piazza (20) is joining her third A-League Women’s side for 2025-26 and also has experience playing in Portugal and the UEFA Women’s Champions League with Armenia’s Pyunik. At such a young age, she is very mature in terms of goal setting and navigating a difficult career, which has a number of potholes and barriers to overcome; she is poised for future success in Australia and professional leagues in North America and/or Europe and is a player to monitor.
Australia Ninja A-League Teams ahead of the 2025-26 Season and Matildas News
Adelaide United
In July, Adelaide United signed Theo Tsiounis (42) as their new Ninja A-League head coach on a two-year deal. He has coached for a decade in South Australia’s National Premier League and State Leagues, and has a background in education and sports science. He currently is the head coach of State League 1 side West Adelaide Soccer Club, where he will continue for the remainder of the 2025 NPL Season, before fully transitioning into his new role. Former Women’s head coach Adrian Stenta was signed as an assistant coach to Adelaide United’s Isuzu UTE A-League Men’s team on a two-year deal, with an option for a third year (2027-28).
Auckland FC
Auckland FC Women originally had planned to join the Ninja A-League for this season—after having a fantastic first season in the men’s Isuzu A-League in 2023/24, winning the Premiership and falling to eventual champions Melbourne Victory in the semifinals of the league championship playoffs—but the women’s side start has been delayed for two seasons and is now scheduled to launch for the 2027/28 season. The club in a statement has said that the delay: “does not impact their commitment to working with the best young female footballers from across the region, as well as the club’s dedication to help grow women’s football in New Zealand.
Back in April, Auckland FC launched the first of its women’s talent ID camps and in September will launch its Women’s Talent Development Centre. These programs will identify and train NZ’s best young talent, in order to create pathways into their senior A-League Women team” when it starts.
Auckland FC co-owner Anna Mowbray further explained: “A delay is unfortunate and goes against what we initially intended when we set up Auckland FC. But it doesn’t mean we just sit on our hands and wait. We will roll out a series of women’s football initiatives, including a new women’s football festival and an ambassador programme to celebrate and promote the women’s game in the community. As a club, we remain committed to a women’s team and determined to make it happen.”
Nick Becker, Auckland FC CEO, added: “We understand the reason behind the decision and naturally we want to launch our women’s team into the strongest possible Ninja A-League. Since day one, we have worked hard to embed ourselves into Auckland’s wider community. Forming a women’s team is a big part of that and this hasn’t changed. Our Women’s Talent Development Centre is launching this September, and we will run regular talent ID camps across Auckland, Northland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty. Our team will start to train early 2027 and we will be ready to go for the 2027/28 season.”
This is a curious delay—particularly in pushing back the launch for two years—even as players from New Zealand’s amateur women’s league move abroad to Canada, the U.S. and even to other A-League clubs in Australia. Despite previous statements from their American owner that the women’s team would be a priority, we have to wonder if the immediate success of the A-League men’s team drove a re-think. Perhaps they didn’t want to struggle for their initial few years as Wellington Phoenix did when they joined—albeit COVID restrictions forced them to play in Australia entirely in their first season.
Regardless, Auckland FC’s delay is a blow to the game in New Zealand and arguably also in Oceania, as an Auckland team could have imported talent from other OFC nations. They can still scout there if they wish, but actual games won’t be held for two more years—it’s a severe disappointment and set-back for the games only two years after co-hosting a quite successful Women’s World Cup Finals.
Brisbane Roar
Australian defender Ava Piazza returns home to play with Brisbane Roar after time in Portugal and with Armenian side Pyunik in the 2025-26 UEFA Women’s Champions League (see our interview with her above).
Singapore international forward Danelle Tan (20) left the Roar after one season in Brisbane and joined Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza in Japan’s WE-League on a one year contract. She only played in three league matches last season for Brisbane. She had previously played for Dortmund in Germany’s third tier and with London Bees in England.
Defender Deborah De la Harpe (25) left the Roar to join Norrkoping in Sweden for the 2025 season. She had 3 goals in 36 matches across two seasons in Brisbane, with one goal in 17 matches in 2024/25. She was capped by Australia at the U-19 level but played with the Republic of Ireland at the senior level, winning one cap in 2023. Bulgarian international forward Evdokia Popadinova (28) was released by the club at the end of her contract, but as of press-time she has not signed with another club.
In a major shock to Brisbane and Australian football fans, Brisbane Roar and Matildas midfielder Lainie Freier (24), who won one senior cap this year in the U.S. at the SheBelieves Cup, has retired from football. During the 2024-25 season, she joined the Roar and scored back-to-back hat-tricks in her first two starts in the Ninja A-League. She finished the season with nine goals in 17 matches. She is currently playing in the state league NPLW Queensland for Brisbane City FC during the Ninja A-League off-season and will finish out the NPLW campaign before stepping away from the game.
She explained her decision: “I have been playing football since the age of 5 and feel like it’s time to move on with my life. I have just recently gotten married, built my house with my husband and want to focus more on my work career. I just want to be Sharn’s (her sister) number one supporter wherever she goes, build my family life and spend my time with the ones I love. Football will always have the best memories for me but I’m ready to move on.”
Her twin sister Sharn—also a Matilda—played with the Roar for three seasons and joined German powerhouse Wolfsburg during the last A-League Women season; she has been currently recuperating from an injury and has yet to see action with her new club. (See more on the Freier’s from our column earlier this year: The Week in Women's Football: Reviewing A-League season before finals - TribalFootball.com).
Canberra United
Canberra United returns head coach Antoni Jagarinec and Michelle Heyman for 2025/26, when the team made the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. Jagarinec is back for his second season as head coach after previously being an assistant coach with the Greens. Last season he won the league Coach of the Month award three times. Heyman (37) scored her 100th goal for the club last season and set a record as the first woman to play 200 games in the A-League. She is currently in the Matildas team and to date has 33 goals in 83 matches, making her debut in 2010.
Central Coast Mariners
Australian international defender Jessika Nash (20) appeared in 27 games (scoring one goal) with the 2024/25 Ninja A-League Champions Central Coast Mariners. She moved to the offseason to Italy to join Sassuolo in Serie A. She previously played for Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC and Canberra United and for multiple Australian youth national teams.
Melbourne City
Melbourne City traded American-born Mexican international defender Lourdes Bosch (24) to the 2026 NWSL expansion side Denver Summit as their second contract player—after Orlando Pride’s American Ally Watt, a Colorado native who played for Melbourne City and scored three goals in five matches in 2019/20—for an undisclosed transfer fee. She then was loaned to Monterrey in Mexico for the 2025-26 Apertura campaign. She completed the first season of a two year contract with City. She won her first full national team cap for Mexico while playing in Australia. Her move to the States will cut down considerably for her travel for national team call-ups, as Mexico primarily plays within CONCACAF during international windows. She also qualified via FIFA to play for the U.S. and Cuba.
Bosch made 29 appearances for City and notched seven goals and nine assists in all matches—the most assists of any player in the Ninja A-League last season. Bosch talked about her time in Melbourne fondly: “My time at Melbourne City has been a big step in my journey as a professional footballer. I’ve learned and grown so much during this chapter, and I’ll always be proud to have worn the City shirt. Being part of an invincible regular season, playing in the AFC Champions League, and earning my first international call-up are moments I’ll carry with me forever.”
City director of football Michael Petrillo praised Bosch for making an: “immediate impact at Melbourne City, with her vision, attacking flair, and quality playing a key role in our success last season. This move is a significant opportunity for her, and one that we’re proud to have helped her achieve. It’s another example of Melbourne City providing a platform for talented players to springboard into top international environments.”
Melbourne City also saw Venezuela international striker Mariana Speckmaier (27) move abroad, to English club Durham FC in WSL2—formerly the Championship—for an undisclosed transfer fee. After playing in 2023-24 with Wellington Phoenix, she joined City and scored in each of their three AFC Women’s Champions League group-stage games prior to the 2024/25 Ninja A-League season. She then scored four goals in her first seven league games for City and helped the club to an undefeated regular season, finishing with 11 goals in 28 games.
Melbourne City is adding NSL-Victoria State League women’s sides beginning in 2026, as is Melbourne Victory (see more below).
Melbourne Victory
Two Matildas had major moves from the Melbourne Victory in the offseason. Midfielder Alex Chidiac (26), who won her second A-League Julie Dolan Award Medal in the past three seasons as the league’s Top Player (see below), has moved to FC Como in Italy’s Serie A, for a club record fee.
Chidiac was on the Matildas 2023 WWC finals side in Australia/New Zealand She made over 60 appearances and scored 11 goals for Victory across two separate stints with the club. Melbourne Victory Director of Football John Didulica talked about the importance of Chidiac’s move to the club: “As a club, we made a decision two years ago to sign Chids to a long-term, full-time (52 week (a) year) contract, so to now secure a record fee for her transfer to Como FC demonstrates the value of investing in our players and our program.” She won a league title with Melbourne Victory and has also played for clubs in Japan, Mexico, Spain and the U.S.
Matildas forward Emily Gielnik (33) also left the Victory for Mexico’s Liga MX Femenil, joining Monterery Rayadas.
Last season Gielnik scored 13 times in 22 matches, finishing second in the Golden Boot race to Melbourne City’s Holly McNamara (15). Gielnik’s goals helped take the Victory to the Ninja A-League Grand Final 2024-25, where they were defeated by Central Coast Mariners in a penalty shootout. This year she scored in less than two minutes in Australia’s 3-0 win over Slovenia at HBF Park in Perth. For Australia’s WNT, she has 63 caps and 13 goals to date.
Melbourne Victory was very happy to announce that, following an extensive process and more than 10 years of lobbying within the football pyramid, that they were issued a license in the NPLW (Victoria State League), and thus will establish a Melbourne Victory NPLW Senior (U-23) and U-20 team for the 2026 season. The club feels that these teams will help to promote the development of women’s football in the State and participation in these competitions will enable Melbourne Victory to develop an even stronger program to support both their youth development and their A-League Women’s elite program.
Melbourne Victory Managing Director Caroline Carnegie said: “This is an incredible step forward for Melbourne Victory and our Women’s Academy. Obtaining a NPLW and U-20 license is an important part of achieving our goals for our wider Academy and pathway programs as we continue to work hard to lead, unite, connect and inspire through football. The performance and pathway benefits of keeping players in elite and consistent environments for longer is both clear and well documented, and we are thrilled that Melbourne Victory will now be able to realise these benefits as a club, and for our playing group. We expect the senior teams to integrate seamlessly within our existing programs, which will create exciting new opportunities for women and girls, and of course the professional game in this State.”
Director of Football John Didulica added: “Elite Victorian players will now, for the first time with the Melbourne Victory Academy, have access to a cohesive 52-week program where their development will be prioritised in a fully professional environment. This can only help Victoria create more national team representatives, an area where Melbourne is falling behind the rest of the country.”
This move by both Victory and City will help integrate the A-League and the very vital state leagues more fully, while still allowing independent sides like Calder United in Victoria and Sydney University in New South Wales to continue to prosper and develop top talent, not only younger Australians but older players coming from abroad as well.
Newcastle Jets
For Newcastle Jets, Cassidy Davis is back for her 13th consecutive season with her home side. She has a club record of 176 appearances for the Jets and is third all-time in the A-League Women (behind Tameka Yallop and Michelle Heyman). Also returning to the Jets is Australian youth international striker Melina Ayres (26), who last played with Newcastle in 2023/24, scoring six goals in 14 games. She took a season off after nine consecutive years of playing in Australia’s A-League and NPLW, as well as a season in Iceland with Breidablik in 2022 on loan, saying: “I’m excited to be back at the Jets again. After a season off to reset, I can’t wait to get back on the field.”
Local talent Josie Allan has re-signed with the Club for a further two seasons. She started in the Jets academy and debuted with the full side in 2022; she finished with three goals last season and has turned out for Australia’s U-20 WNT.
The Jets had eight departures about the expiration of their contracts: Millan Hammond, Danielle Krzyzaniak, Tiahna Robertson, Lara Gooch, Sheridan Gallagher, Bel Rolley and Gia Vicari, as well as Switzerland international defender Lorena Baumann (28), who joined the Jets for the 2023-24 season and made 47 appearances across two seasons. She has played with clubs at home and in Germany, Iceland and Portugal.
Stephen Hoyle is the new head coach of the Jets, signing a two year contract. A native of Barnsley in England, he has been coaching for over a decade. Hoyle joins from New Zealand where he was currently the assistant coach of Napier City in the National League and an assistant coach for the New Zealand’s U-17 Women’s team. Hoyle has also previously worked at Eastern Suburbs AFC where he served as Director of Football and head coach of their Women’s side in New Zealand’s National League.
Perth Glory
Perth Glory have re-signed their 20-year-old duo of Georgia Cassidy and Grace Johnston—both hometown players—ahead of the Ninja A-League 2025-26 season.
Cassidy signed a two-year contract extension, and will look to build on the 35 Ninja A-League appearances she has made to date for her hometown club. She has played for Australia at the U-17 and U-20 levels. Johnston signed a one-year deal after making 22 starts for Perth last season.
Glory football director Stan Lazaridis (53)—who had 60 Australian senior caps and played at home and at West Ham United and Birmingham City in England—explained: “We are committed to giving local Perth players the opportunity to prove themselves at A-League level and Georgia and Grace have certainly seized their opportunities with both hands. We’re really excited to see them continue to develop while proudly representing their hometown club and I’m sure our members and fans are too.”
Also returning are Glory co-captain Izzy Dalton (27) and young midfielder Tijan McKenna (20), who have both signed one-season contract extensions ahead of the Ninja A-League 2025-26 campaign. Dalton, a central midfielder, made 19 appearances last season and won the club’s Most Glorious Player Award. McKenna was named the Players’ Player of the Year after a breakout season. McKenna scored the first two goals of her professional career in 2024-25 and made 20 appearances for Glory, playing both in midfield and as a fullback.
Perth has signed 14 of last year’s players for the 2025/26 season, hoping to improve on their 10th place from the last two seasons—after finishing just out of the playoffs the two previous seasons.
Sydney FC
Sydney FC have announced the signing of former Central Coast Mariners midfielder Bianca Galic (26) to a three-year deal at Sky Park. She scored the winning penalty in the Ninja A-League 2024-25 Grand Final and scored three goals in 24 matches. Galic departed the Mariners after two years at the club. She has been capped three times by Croatia.
Sydney FC signed another international in American-born, Philippines international center-back Madison Ayson (24) from Canberra United, where she scored two goals in 15 matches. She previously spent time with NWSL side Houston Dash, playing one game, and in college in the United States at Stanford and Xavier Universities.
Sydney FC head coach Ante Juric, starting his ninth season in charge of the side, felt that Ayson’s signing would add quality and depth to a side that missed the playoffs last season for the first time in their 17 years in the A-League Women.
Western Sydney Wanderers
A major signing by the Wanderers for the 2025/26 A-League season is New Zealand international goalkeeper Anna Leat (24). Leat joins Wanderland after playing in New Zealand with Eastern Suburbs as well as Hibiscus Coast A.F.C. Leat has also played in England in the Women’s Super League with West Ham United and Aston Villa. Leat has made 22 appearances for New Zealand Senior Women’s National team and was a member of their 2023 FIFA World Cup Finals squad as well as at the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games.
Western Sydney Wanderers FC have confirmed the departures of Milly Cassar, Gemma Ferris, Paige Haywood, Talia Kapetanellis, Maya Lobo, Sienna Saveska, Aya Seino, Keely Segavcic and Bronte Trew following the conclusion of their Ninja A-League contracts. In addition, Madison McComasky (25), who made 32 appearances with two goals over the past two seasons with WSW, was allowed to leave and moved to the Super League with Ft. Lauderdale United for the 2025-26 season. She joins Sophie Harding, who moved to Ft. Lauderdale as well after the 2024/25 season with WSW (see our column from last week: The Week in Women's Football: USL Super League preview and season tips - TribalFootball.com).
Western Sydney Wanderers players contracted for the 2025/26 season to date are: Siena Arrarte, Milly Bennett, Ella Buchanan, Holly Caspers, Amy Chessari, Amy Harrison (captain), Ena Harada, Sham Khamis, Danika Matos, Olivia Price, Cushla Rue and Talia Younis.
Midfielder Talia Younis (16) was signed to a one-year extension. She is touted as a future Matilda and is a member of the Junior Matildas (U-17 WNT) and Young Matildas (U-20 WNT) and stated 16 games last season (with 22 appearances in total). Her brother Marcus plays for the Wanderers men’s side. She first joined the Wanderers Academy five years ago after her third tryout. She could also play internationally for Lebanon.
Wellington Phoenix
Wellington Phoenix has a new head coach for 2025/26, even though Paul Temple did a nice job in two seasons with the club, but he was not offered a new contract at the end of the 2024/25 season. He joined the club in 2016 as a youth coach and then became the technical director of their academy. Surprisingly the Nix hired former Canadian WNT head coach Bev Priestman (39), who just recently served a year suspension by FIFA for using drones to spy on a New Zealand’s WNT training session ahead of their first game in the 2024 Paris Olympics, which I always found curious as she used to coach at the national team level in the country and is married to a former New Zealand WNT player.
At the time when the allegations were first announced last year, I just thought: “Really—you don’t know enough about that side?” Of course, the resulting investigation found that the Canadian team had been spying on rival training sessions for some time, including for the men’s side. She left Canada after telling the media that she no longer felt safe in Canada. She signed a two year contract with the Phoenix. She is known in the country as she was on John Herdman’s staff during his time with the Football Ferns (2007-2011) and coached a youth national team and served as their director of football development. She is married to former Football Ferns midfielder and current Phoenix academy director Emma Humphries. It will be interesting to see what type of reception she receives in Wellington by the fans.
She is a good coach and I was on many media calls with her during her time in Canada and she was always insightful and straight-forward to talk with. Wellington could have uncovered a gem, but it will take a time for many to forget the drone controversy, which was horrendously troubling and could have threatened the nation’s Gold Medal triumph in 2021 in Tokyo, when Priestman was in charge..
Priestman talked about living in Canada since her suspension during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris: “I didn’t feel safe. That’s being brutally honest. It was very difficult for my family, and I have to live with that. Obviously it was an absolute media frenzy. You’ve got people knocking at your door and everything, and I’ve got a little boy. Without going into too much detail, it was very difficult. We knew we had to get out of that country.”
Priestman said she is prevented from speaking in more detail about the situation in detail, due to ongoing legal discussions. She said the move to Wellington was an opportunity to “reset” her career, and rebuild. Just hours after her ban was lifted, she ran her first coaching session in more than a year, explaining that: “I celebrated last night coaching the under-7s, my son’s team, in the pouring Wellington rain. That was a nice, humbling experience. They got all the energy from me in that moment because I’ve just been itching to do that.”
Priestman won an Olympic Gold Medal with Canada at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics; she has been touted as the best credentialed coach to come to the women’s A League, even more than recently named Matilda Joe Montemurro, with his European league title-winning resume, who coached previously in Melbourne (see below). She said that she had learned from her ban, and her experience with Canada, and would be a better coach for it.
Wellington Phoenix chairman Rob Morrison said that he was: “really pleased to be able to welcome Bev back to football. We all know she’s had a period of time away from the game, but we understand the circumstances and we’re really comfortable with this appointment. Bev can’t wait to get started, and we’re really happy that she’s going to be coaching the Phoenix.”
On the playing side, the Phoenix signed Nepalese international forward Sabitra Bhandari (29), who we have featured over the past few years (see: The Week in Women's Football: Asian Cup qualifying; recruiting for national teams - TribalFootball.com). She has been a tremendous goal scorer at home, in India, in Israel, in France and with her national team. She scored 60 goals in 24 matches in the Indian Women’s Super League.
She played the 2024-25 season with Guingamp in France, scoring seven goals in 29 games; the side was relegated from the top tier after earning only nine points from 22 matches. She signed a two year contract through the 2026-27 season with Wellington and has scored 66 goals in 60 appearances for Nepal, who just missed out on an AFC Asian Cup Finals spot in the qualifiers this summer to Uzbekistan, despite her scoring nine goals in three games. Interim Phoenix head coach Amy Shepherd said: “Sabitra is a national icon in Nepal and the country’s all-time leading goal scorer, and her leadership, experience, and on-field excellence will be invaluable, both on and off the pitch.”
Bhandari said: “I am really excited to come to the Phoenix, score lots of goals and make the fans super happy. When I heard about the Phoenix’s ambitions for next season, it was easy for me to make the decision to join.”
This is a tremendous signing for the Phoenix and the league and, though playing technically for a team in Oceania, she is joining one of the best leagues in Asia.
Lucia León (28), a Dominican Republic international, played for Adelaide United last season, making 26 appearances, joining from Watford FC in England. Leon was a key part of the United side that finished third in the league last season and made the semifinals, after winning its first ever playoff game in the quarterfinals. She has joined New Zealand A-League Women side Wellington Phoenix for the 2025-26 season. She was born and raised in Spain and has played with Madrid CFF and Real Betis as well as Tottenham Hotspur in England.
Western United
Returning to the side for 2025-26 is Australian defender Claudia Mihocic (22) for her second season. She had 14 appearances for the Green and Black last season.
Western United General Manager of Football Mal Impiombato talked about what Claudia Mihocic brought to the team: “We were thrilled with how Claudia developed throughout her first season at the club and are equally pleased to have her locked in for next season. She has been a tremendous addition into our group and has perfectly embodied our values and culture alongside her ability on the pitch. We are confident in Claudia’s significant potential and we look forward to seeing her continue to work hard towards realising that here with us at Ironbark Fields.”
The team did lose a number of players during the offseason. Forward Kahli Johnson (21) is now playing in the Northern Super League with Calgary Wild, along with their former captain and Philippine international midfielder Jackie Sawicki (see our column last month: The Week in Women's Football: Jackie Sawicki exclusive; Smith's Arsenal move; NSL review - TribalFootball.com). Another Philippine international, Sara Eggesvik (28), who was born and raised in Norway, moved back to the Toppserien with LSK Kvinner. American forward Catherine Zimmerman (31) moved to the USL Super League with Brooklyn. (Note: Last week’s column incorrectly had her going to the Carolina Ascent rather than Brooklyn FC.) Goalkeeper Chloe Lincoln (20) moved to the Brisbane Roar after one season with Western United and three with Canberra United. She debuted for the Matildas in 2024 and currently has three caps.
Other Ninja A-League News—2024/25 Season Award Winners
The Ninja A-League in Australia announced their 2024-25 season award winners at the end of May. Melbourne Victory and Matildas’ midfielder Alex Chidiac won the 2024-25 Julie Dolan Medal as the league’s player of the season, her second time winning the title in three seasons. She was the fifth player to win the medal on multiple occasions after Michelle Heyman, Sam Kerr, Clare Polkinghorne and Taryn Rockall. Across the regular season, Chidiac notched two goals and five assists for the Victory and helped the club go on a record unbeaten run and reached the Ninja A-League Women 2025 Grand Final. She is now playing in Italy (see above).
Sydney FC’s Indiana Dos Santos (17), has been named the Boost Mobile Young Footballer of the Year. She signed a contract extension in January of this year with Sydney but is currently recuperating from an ACL tear. Dos Santos became the A-League’s youngest ever Championship winner as a 15-year-old two seasons ago, when she helped the Sky Blues win the 2023 A-League Women’s Grand Final, before repeating the feat last year. She played for Australia’s U-20 side at the 2024 WWC in Colombia last summer.
The Ninja A-League Coach of the Year winner was Adelaide United’s Adrian Stenta who guided the Reds to their first playoff semifinal in the club’s history after finishing the 2023/24 season at the bottom of the table. He is an assistant coach for Adelaide’s men’s side this season (see above).
Central Coast Mariners’ Isabel Gomez was named the Shark Fan Player of the Year. She missed some games due to injury, but still managed 5 goals in 12 regular season matches and 2 goals in 4 playoff matches—scoring in both the second semifinal win over Melbourne City and the Grand Final win over Melbourne Victory.
Gomez’s Mariner teammate Sarah Langman (30) won the Goalkeeper of the Year award. She made 103 saves and posted seven clean sheets during the regular season, her second with the Mariners after seeing action with Perth Glory, Western Sydney Wanderers and her hometown side of Adeliade United.
Matildas Update—A new coach and a shocking defeat to Panama
Joe Montemurro has long been seen by some in Australia as the heir apparent to the WNT head coaching position, but his start with the Matildas—after leaving Olympic Lyon in France following one season—was quite bumpy. The Matildas lost at home to Panama (1-0), ranked 56th on July 5 by FIFA at the time, in Bunbury (a Western Australia coastal city of about 75,000 people), with 10,272 in attendance.
Montemurro’s side came back three days later to defeat Panama 3-2 in Perth, but combined with a win and a tie (3-0 and 1-1) in his first two matches against number 35 ranked Slovenia on June 26 and June 29—both in Perth—it wasn’t the type of start that was expected for the 15th best team in the world, according to FIFA. The Bunbury game saw two players stretchered off the field and six yellow cards given by the referee.
Canberra United’s forward Michelle Heyman missed a sitter in the 96th minute, putting a point blank shot less than two yards in front of goal over the crossbar. Panama’s Sherline King (19), who played last year at Jones Community College in Ellisville, Mississippi, came on as a substitute in the 52th minute and scored in the 56th minute. King followed up on a ball that Australian goalkeeper Teagan Micah could not hold onto, from a shot by Panama’s veteran forward Marta Cox (28)—who has three goals in three matches with Fenerbache in Turkey after playing last season in Mexico with Tijuana—who broke clear of the defense into the penalty box.
To be fair, Australia was missing a number of veterans for these games, including Sam Kerr, Mary Fowler, Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, Katrina Gorry and Clare Wheeler, who were all absent for various reasons during this international window. Ellie Carpenter, Mackenzie Arnold, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Sharn Freier exited the squad following the Slovenia series, while Amy Sayer and Charli Grant were rested. Kaitlyn Torpey (25) of the Portland Thorns was the only player in the starting XI who also started in the June 29 1-1 draw with Slovenia.
Panama goalkeeper Yenith Bailey (24) was stretchered off the field after landing awkwardly on her knee and hyperextending it on an Australia shot attempt just after the first game between the teams started. Panama’s Riley Tanner (26), who played with the Spokane Zephyr last season in the USL Super League, was a handful for the home side’s defense on the wing and hit the post with a strong shot a few minutes before the half-time break. Australia had a 66% vs 34% possession advantage but had only four shots on target during the game. Note: At press time, Tanner—who played for Panama at the 2023 Women’s World Cup Finals—signed with Sydney FC for the 2025-26 season. She impressed the Harbor City side’s executives during her two matches for Panama in Perth.
There are incredibly high expectations on Montemurro who was appointed as the 15th full-time Head Coach of the WNT following a global search, though his name was always at the top of most lists. Montemurro coached in the A-League women before spending a decade in Europe with Arsenal WFC, Juventus FC Women, and Olympique Lyonnais Féminin. He won three league titles in Europe, in the WSL in 2018-19 with Arsenal, in Serie A in 2021-22 with Juventus and in Premiere Ligue in 2024-25 with Olympique Lyonnais. A native of Melbourne, he coached at Melbourne Victory FC and Melbourne City FC. With City he guided them to an undefeated season in 2015/16 and the league title. Montemurro has a UEFA Pro License and an AFC A Coaching License.
Football Australia interim Chief Executive Officer, Heather Garriock—who won 130 Matildas caps—said that Montemurro’s appointment comes at a critical time in Australian football, with the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 on the horizon and an exciting four-year cycle that also includes the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil in 2027 and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, as well as the Asian Women’s Cup next spring in Australia.
Garriock said: “Joe brings world-class experience, a deep understanding of the Australian football landscape, and a genuine connection to our national identity. Importantly, he has spent the last decade coaching at the very highest levels of the women’s game in Europe and brings with him an unparalleled understanding of what is required to compete and succeed at the top of modern football.”
Montemurro replaced interim head coach Tom Sermanni, whose 150th game in charge of Australia was their 2-0 win over Argentina in Melbourne in front of a tremendous crowd of 43,020. Debutant Kahli Johnson (21) scored one of the goals and she moved from Western United to the Calgary Wild of the Northern Super League in Canada in the off season. Sermanni’s final game in charge was a 4-1 win over Argentina on June 2 in Canberra, in front of 25,125 fans, with Montemurro in the stands, just hours after his formal appointment. In her first start for 549 days, Amy Sayer (23) grabbed a first-half brace and then veterans Emily van Egmond (who joined Birmingham City in January after three seasons with the San Diego Wave in the NWSL) and long-time Canberra United forward Michelle Heyman added goals. Sayer played at Stanford University and is now with Kristianstads in Sweden.
Sermanni (70) coached Australia’s WNT across four decades in three stints. He found it interesting that the crowd in Canberra—a record for a women’s sporting event in the Australian capital—was special because: “Back in the days when you’d essentially get family and friends to come to games, you dreamt of stuff like this. It’s just a dream come true.”
Sermanni’s interim role was not expected to last a year, but he, as always, approached the task with commitment and class. He gave nine players their international debuts during that time, starting with Daniela Galic with Isabel Gomez the last. Amy Sayer, Holly McNamara, and Clare Wheeler have developed nicely under Sermanni, who I first met in 2007 at the Women’s World Cup in China and who coached at the club and national team level in the U.S. We wish Tom Sermanni all the best in his retirement and future endeavors. He was one of the leading drivers in the launch of the A-League Women and Australia and the global women’s game owe him a massive thank you for all he has done for the game.
Tim Grainey is a contributor to Tribal Football. His latest book Beyond Bend it Like Beckham on the global game of women’s football. Get your copy today. Follow Tim on X: @TimGrainey