U-20 Women | NZ Soccer

Junior Football Ferns

The Junior Football Ferns are New Zealand’s national U-20 women’s football side and are current champions of Oceania.

In 2006 the team became just the fifth New Zealand side to play at a FIFA World Cup behind John Adshead’s 1982 All Whites to Spain, the 1991 Women’s World Cup and the 1997 and 1999 U-17 World Championships in Egypt and New Zealand respectively.

John Herdman’s side were drawn in Group A with Australia, Brazil and hosts Russia at the FIFA U-20 World Cup which was held in Moscow and St Petersburg from 17 August to 3 September, 2006.

After a narrow 3-2 loss to Russia, the team earned a stunning draw with the eventual bronze medalists Brazil in their third pool match. It was only the second time a New Zealand team has got a result at a FIFA World Cup.

Eight players from the U-20 side were selected in Herdman’s senior Football Ferns team that competed in the FIFA Women’s World Cup in China 2007.

Details of the team’s 2006 matches can be found on the results page while information on the players can viewed on the profiles page.

In 2008 the Junior Football Ferns have another chance to qualify for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup which this year will be held in Chile from November. Details of this year’s campaign will be added shortly.