New Zealand Football have been confirmed as the host member association for the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ 2027 – Oceania Qualifiers semis and final, set to be played in April 2026. 

The matches will take place in Aotearoa New Zealand between 7 – 18 April, with host cities and venues to be announced in due course, where the winning side will automatically qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ 2027 in Brazil. 

The Ford Football Ferns have been the OFC team to qualify for the FIFA Women World Cup on the last five occasions and will be looking to make it six in a row on home soil next year. 

Prior to the finals, group games will be played in the February – March international window, currently set to be hosted in Fiji and Solomon Islands, with the top two sides in each pool qualifying for the semi-finals. 

The announcement comes following Aotearoa hosting the FIFA World Cup™ 2026 – Oceania Qualifiers semi and final in March 2025, which saw the All Whites defeat New Caledonia 3-0 at Eden Park to secure at place at the men’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the USA next year. 

New Zealand Football CEO Andrew Pragnell said:

“Bringing our senior national teams home on a regular basis is a big priority for us as an organisation, so it is great to be able to confirm these very significant games will be played in Aotearoa.

“We saw in March the excitement of having the All Whites qualify for the FIFA World Cup on home soil, so now we want Kiwis to potentially have the chance to experience the Ford Football Ferns doing the same and really get behind the team as they did in their thousands for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. 

“The game is in a great place right now at all levels, from community football, where numbers are exploding, to the professional level, with the introduction of Auckland FC and their rivalry with Wellington Phoenix, and of course at international level with the All Whites returning to the FIFA World Cup next year and, all going well, the Ferns doing the same in 2027.”

Host cities, venues and ticketing information will be announced in due course.

Article added: Monday 12 May 2025