A-League reinforcements confirmed as Auckland FC’s Women’s side begins building its squad for the invitational clash against Chelsea FC Women
Auckland FC is bringing in some significant names from the 25/26 Ninja A-League Women for the one-off invitational clash against world-renowned Chelsea FC Women.
MOMO HAYASHI
The 31-year-old Japanese midfielder is a standout footballer in Queensland, earning her stripes in the NPL with Gold Coast United and now playing for the Brisbane Roar. Hayashi was named the Football Queensland Player of the Year in 2023 and 2024 while on the Gold Coast and has now become a notable goal-scoring midfielder in Brisbane, chipping in with 10 goals in her two seasons in the A-League. A dead-ball specialist, Hayashi’s set-piece delivery has been a key weapon for the Roar, adding another dimension to Auckland FC’s attacking options.
AIMEE MEDWIN
Another Brisbane Roar player who joins the AFC ranks against Chelsea is Aimee Medwin. The 27-year-old is a versatile player who mainly operates as a right-back but can play all over the pitch. Medwin made her A-League Women’s debut in the 18/19 season for Melbourne City and has picked up 60+ appearances since for Western United and Brisbane Roar after spending a few years playing NCAA Division 1 in the United States.
AVAANI PRAKASH
The 19-year-old U-20 Matilda midfielder is another exciting addition to Auckland FC’s invitational squad. Prakash impressively made her A-League Women’s debut at 16 years old with Western United, appearing over 40 times in the A-League. She finished the 25/26 season with Central Coast and has since joined NPL NSW side NWS Spirit FC.
PETA TRIMIS
Another U-20 Matilda’s star and A-League Women’s Champion, Peta Trimis adds both youth and quality to the Auckland FC attack. The 20-year-old winger is currently a standout for the Central Coast Mariners, making her debut at 17 and contributing to 9 goals this past season, most notably scoring the 2026 Isuzu UTE Goal of the Year with a stunning outside-of-the-box strike against Melbourne Victory. Trimis was also part of Central Coast’s A-League Women’s Championship-winning side in 2024/25, defeating Melbourne City on penalties.
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.
