Four Football Ferns will be joining Auckland FC’s Women’s Invitational XI, bringing talent and experience to the squad ahead of the clash against Chelsea FC Women.
Olivia Chance, Mackenzie Barry, Elizabeth Anton and Charlotte Lancaster have all joined, reflecting coach Jenny Bindon’s deliberate approach to prioritise New Zealand talent.
Similar to the recruitment of the A-League Men’s squad, the club has made it a priority to fill the Women’s Invitational XI with as many Kiwi players as possible.
It is an approach designed to give the Football Ferns a platform to test themselves against elite European opposition on home soil and showcase the depth of New Zealand’s women’s football talent pool.
The four players are:
OLIVIA CHANCE
Veteran Football Fern Olivia Chance, 32, brings experience to Auckland FC’s Women’s Invitational team. Chance has made close to 50 appearances for the Football Ferns, making her debut in 2011 and competing at the FIFA Women’s World Cup and Olympic Games and has played across Europe and Australia at club level.
MACKENZIE BARRY
Headlining the squad is the current Wellington Phoenix captain, Mackenzie Barry, 25. The defender is the most capped player in Phoenix Women’s history with 94 appearances. Barry is a current member of the New Zealand Football Ferns, having played at the 2024 Paris Olympics and part of the bronze medalist side at the 2018 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
ELIZABETH ANTON
Elizabeth Anton, 27, will add experience to the Auckland FC backline. The defender currently plays for Canberra United FC and has played for the Football Ferns across all age groups, most notably being part of the FIFA Women’s World Cup side that played on home soil in 2023.
CHARLOTTE LANCASTER
Charlotte Lancaster, 22, winger, joins the growing list of Football Ferns in this invitational squad. Lancaster currently plays for the Newcastle Jets after making her professional debut for the Wellington Phoenix in 2022. The young Kiwi has made four international appearances for the Football Ferns, debuting in an 8-0 win against Samoa earlier this year.
More names to be confirmed throughout the week.
The dominant, eight-time WSL champions, Chelsea FC Women, face off against the Auckland FC Women’s Invitational XI on Saturday 8 August, 4pm at Eden Park, in a landmark moment for New Zealand football. For the first time ever, local stars take the pitch against one of the world’s most dominant clubs in the NZ International Football Festival.
Get your tickets here.
