Congratulations to 28 players from the Western Sydney Wanderers Girls’ Academy who have been selected to represent their respective state squads at the 2026 CommBank Emerging Matildas Championships in Melbourne this week.
Held at the Home of the Matildas at La Trobe University, the tournament brings together the best Under-15 and Under-16 female footballers from across the country, providing an elite environment designed to showcase the next generation of Australian talent.
Running from Friday to Wednesday, the Championships include pre-tournament testing on Thursday, setting the tone for a week where performance, development and opportunity are all under the spotlight.
For many of the selected players, this will be their first experience competing away from home in a national tournament setting – a valuable step in their development as they are exposed to the demands, routines and pressures that mirror the international pathway.
Beyond the football, the week offers a holistic development experience, with workshops for players, parents and coaches covering key topics including wellbeing, nutrition and working with agents, reinforcing the importance of education alongside performance.
The competition features representative teams from across Australia, including NSW, Queensland, Tasmania, Northern NSW, Football West, NSW Regional, Victoria, South Australia and Capital Football, as well as a Charles Perkins XI supporting Football Australia’s First Nations talent pathway. An invited team from Vietnam will also participate, adding an international dimension to the tournament.
Last year’s edition saw Western Australia’s Sakura Leong stand out during pre-tournament testing, highlighting the level of detail and high-performance standards that define the Championships.
With the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games on the horizon and the Matildas pathway continuing to expand, the Emerging Matildas Championships remain a key early indicator of Australia’s next generation of elite female footballers.
For the Wanderers Girls’ Academy, the selection of 28 players is a proud reflection of the club’s continued investment in the women’s pathway and the growing strength of talent emerging from Western Sydney.
As the tournament kicks off, the Wanderers contingent will be looking to make their mark on the national stage in Melbourne.
Football NSW
Sophie Aungle
Madena Mousaa
Keziah Behringer
Ariilya Sanaei
Grace Brian
Georgie Serra
Marli Cayless
Rose Selimiotis
Jessica Di Bona
Emerson Spence
Madi Gabila
Anika Spongberg
Ava Griffiths
Adriana Tripodi
Zofiya Gwozdecky
Lara Tsavalias
Evie Hood
Lucy Watkins
Sara Karnib
Tessa Young
Amelie Lopez
Catherine Yu
Grace McCreery
Capital Football
Clare Brookes
Northern NSW
Annika Driscoll
NSW Regional
Mia Belsito
Charles Perkins XI
Elizabeth Steptoe
Cydnee Avery
