Junior Football Ferns

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

The aim for 2010 is to reach the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, and seal a thrid staright trip to the finals. First, the team must win the 2009 OFC U-20 Women's Championships - held in Auckland from October 5-9 - getting past Tonga, American Samoa and the Cook Islands.

In 2008, the John Herdman coached side achieved New Zealand's highest ever placing at a World Cup with a ninth-placed finish at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Chile.

The Junior Ferns were just seconds away from an historic win over England - and a place in the quarterfinals - until a 94th minute equaliser took the English through instead.

The 1-1 draw left New Zealand on four points - the most of a New Zealand team at a World Cup - following a 4-3 win over hosts Chile and an opening 3-2 defeat to Nigeria.

The squad was the youngest in Chile with 17 of the 21 players eligible to compete at the next U-20 Women's World Cup in Germany 2010.

Two years earlier, John Herdman’s side were drawn in Group A with Australia, Brazil and hosts Russia at the FIFA U-20 World Cup 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 2006 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  matches can be found on the results page while information on players can viewed on the profiles page.