The Western Sydney Wanderers NPL Women’s side returns for another season as they travel to Lakelands Oval to take on the Illawarra Stingrays in a blockbuster opening round clash.
The Western Sydney Wanderers NPL Women’s side will open their 2026 National Premier Leagues Women’s NSW campaign this weekend with a trip south to face Illawarra Stingrays at The Pond, Lakelands Oval in Dapto.
The Red & Black head into the new season eager to showcase a squad packed with emerging talent, with the competition providing a platform for players to test themselves in a demanding senior environment.
With a strong focus on development within the club’s pathway, the season will give the Wanderers’ next generation of Women’s Footballers the opportunity to showcase themselves against some of the most experienced sides in the league.
A number of players are set to feature prominently throughout the campaign, including Isabella Sultan, Mary Dal Broi, Ava D’Costa and Catalina Wyrzynski, while Tessa Young, Freda Karaberis, Mia Nataly and Madena Moussa will also be looking to make their presence felt in the early rounds.
The Red and Black have also signed Savannah Murray from the Northern Tigers, who will look to add depth and dynamism at the back alongside Chelsea Barton, Charlotte Bradshaw and Alvina Khoshaba who look to build momentum across the opening weeks of the competition.
Standing in their way this weekend is an Illawarra Stingrays side that narrowly missed out on finals football last season. The Stingrays showed strong form throughout the early stages of the campaign and remained firmly in the finalsconversation deep into the year, ultimately falling just short of a top-four finish.
The Key Decider: Defending the Transition
A key component of Illawarra’s success was their direct attacking approach, which allowed them to transition quickly and create dangerous moments in the final third. That style of play proved particularly effective during the early rounds of the season and will once again be a major factor the Wanderers must be prepared to deal with this weekend.
For the Red & Black, managing those transitions and maintaining defensive discipline will be crucial against a side capable of moving the ball forward quickly and applying pressure in attacking areas.
With both teams eager to begin the season strongly, Sunday’s clash shapes as an exciting opening test for the Wanderers as the 2026 NPL Women’s NSW season gets underway.
NPL NSW Women’s Round 1
Illawarra Stingrays v Wanderers FC
Sunday 8 March 2026, 5:00pm
The Ponds, Lakelands Oval
