Other games today proving quite one-sided too. Clearly some teams have had better preparation than others. PNG beat Vanuatu 5-0 and Fiji lead New Caledonia 4-0 at HT
Hosts and Nations Cup holders Solomon Islands lose 1-0 to American Samoa, who had never won a game prior to last year but are looking a lot stronger with a squad largely recruited from lineage players in the USA.
Means the Solomons could be eliminated when they play us on Sunday.
After 70 minutes in Honiara and it's NZ 5 Solomon Islands 0.
A Ferns win will guarantee their top two spot (along with American Samoa) with those 2 teams meeting in the final group game (the Ferns need a draw to top the group). Fiji & Papua New Guinea are the likely top two teams from the other group which will make up the 4 semi-finalists to play in Hamilton & Auckland from 12-15 April. The final winner goes directly to Brazil 2027 and runner-up into intercontinental playoff.
Full-time: New Zealand 8 Solomon Islands 0 (Half-time 3-0) Goals: Millie Clegg (2), Indiah-Paige Riley, Hannah Blake (3), Grace Jale & Pia Vlok Player of the match to Charlotte Lancaster (assisting in 4 of the goals)
Goalkeepers Victoria Esson (32/0), Wellington Phoenix, Aotearoa New Zealand Alina Santos (2/0), University of Denver, United States
Defenders Liz Anton (27/0), Canberra United, Australia Claudia Bunge (40/1), Melbourne Victory, Australia Michaela Foster (33/1), Durham FC, England Ally Green (19/2), FC Copenhagen, Denmark Meikayla Moore (77/4), Calgary Wild, Canada Rebekah Stott (110/4), Melbourne City, Australia Kate Taylor (30/2), Dijon FCO, France
Midfielders Maya Hahn (8/1), FC Viktoria Berlin, Germany Deven Jackson (8/1), Melbourne City, Australia Grace Jale (37/10), Wellington Phoenix, Aotearoa New Zealand Katie Kitching (26/7), Sunderland AFC, England Charlotte Lancaster (3/0), Newcastle Jets, Australia Emma Pijnenburg (11/0), Wellington Phoenix, Aotearoa New Zealand Indiah-Paige Riley (37/9), Crystal Palace, England Grace Wisnewski (7/0), FC Nordsjælland, Denmark
Forwards Hannah Blake (10/3), Durham FC, England Kelli Brown (11/4), Newcastle Jets, Australia Milly Clegg (23/4), Vittsjö GIK, Sweden Jacqui Hand (37/9), FC Basel, Switzerland Gabi Rennie (45/2), Eskilstuna United DFF, Sweden Pia Vlok (3/1), Wellington Phoenix, Aotearoa New Zealand
Head coach Michael Mayne
Games to be played on Sunday April 12, 2026 Semi-final 1 Papua New Guinea v American Samoa FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton, 12pm (NZT)
Semi-final 2 New Zealand v Fiji FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton, 4pm (NZT)
Game to be played on Wednesday April 15, 2026
Final Winners semi-final 1 v winners semi-final 2 North Harbour Stadium, Albany, Auckland, 7pm (NZT)
Anna Leat still injured..... Concussion I think. She has now had a number of serious concussions that have kept her side lined for long periods. Be really tough, but if it is concussion, you would have to think she would be considering retiring from football. Be a real shame and devastating for her.. She is one our our most promising players coming through.
What does Maggie Jenkins have to do to get a look in? Clearly a league above National League / and two leagues above Aucklands top league. NZF could help promote their own National League if they didn't shy away from picking outstanding performers from it?! She has came from scoring goals and assists in the pro-league in Turkey. No doubt won't be in NZ for long. I hope NZF don't waste time and wait until she is back playing pro before picking her (again)... get her in now and start building combos for the WWC.
Manaia Elliott has been called up to the Ford Football Ferns squad for the final round of 2027 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers played in Aotearoa New Zealand this week.
She comes in to replace Indiah-Paige Riley who has unfortunately been ruled out through injury… pic.twitter.com/ila0YeIpGo
— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) April 6, 2026
I know I shouldn’t be surprised, but still pretty appalling that even our national broadcaster wasn’t interested in showing the final when it’ll hopefully be the Ferns’ ticket to Brazil.
On a different note, although OFC run the qualifiers is it NZF as the host body who’ll make the call on any weather-related postponements? I haven’t seen anything from them about the possibility, not even a hint of when they might decide, so I guess I’m still getting on that flight to Hamilton tomorrow…
Cheers, I just got the email from NZF - means I’ll miss the first semi but still be there for NZ v Fiji, so a better outcome than postponement:
FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™ Oceania Qualifiers Rescheduled to Saturday 11 April Due to Cyclone Vaianu
Due to the severe weather warnings in place for Kirikiriroa Hamilton on Sunday 12 April as a result of Cyclone Vaianu, Oceania Football Confederation, in consultation with New Zealand Football, local council, and the venue, has taken the decision to reschedule the semi-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™ Oceania Qualifiers at FMG Stadium Waikato to Saturday 11 April.
The decision has been made to ensure the safety of participants and fans attending the games.
Due to the late notice of the change of date, the event will now be made free entry to all fans. Fans looking to attend do not need to book a ticket in advance, they can just arrive at the stadium.
All tickets booked for the original match day will be refunded by Ticketek.
Both matches will kick off at the same scheduled times, one day earlier:
12pm NZT – Papua New Guinea vs American Samoa
4pm NZT – Aotearoa New Zealand vs Fiji
The final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™ Oceania Qualifiers will remain on Wednesday 15 April at North Harbour Stadium in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, kicking off at 7pm NZT. Tickets for the Final are available here.
We have a car of four travelling up. Beautiful day so far. Previous plan was to stay the night in Hamilton. New plan is to probably drive home after the game. Glad it was brought forward.
+2
