There’ll be a couple of footballing milestones tomorrow morning when the Ford Football Ferns take on Haiti in Malaga, Spain.

The friendly is the first time the two nations have faced each other in international women’s football and comes just days after the maiden encounter between the men’s sides in Fort Lauderdale.

The match against Haiti kicks off at 4am NZT.

Two Ford Football Ferns are also in line to make their debuts in the friendly, Brooke Neary and Mae Hunt.

For the UK raised University of Buffalo based player Hunt, she says it fills her with pride to be able to represent her father’s Kiwi heritage.

“He's from Auckland. He's a Westie, he likes to say.

“I just got in contact through one of my college coaches, another person that I knew, Jenny Bindon. So that's sort of how I got in contact with the Ferns and stuff. 

“I went to America when I was 18 and went to a university called South Alabama and then transferred to Buffalo about six months ago now.”

Hunt says she was over the moon when Ford Football Ferns coach Michael Mayne called to notify she’d been selected for this international window, but had no one to celebrate the huge moment with.

“Yeah, so I was just actually in my apartment alone, and then Mayney was like, can I call you in a few minutes? And I'm thinking, yeah, OK, it's either going to be great news or it's either going to be shit.

“So he called me, and then he was like, I can't exactly remember what he said.  It was such a blur, a little bit. But he basically said, would you want to come to Spain? And I was like, yeah, buzzing!

“No one was in my home right now. So I'm on the phone literally so excited, and I've got no one to share that with and then as soon as I end the call my roommates walk through, open the door and I'm like, I'm going to Spain!

“And then straight away, I called my dad and he called me like 6 p.m. my time in America, it was like 2 a.m. for my dad. I was like, he's definitely going to be asleep, but I know he's going to want me to wake him up for this!”

New Zealand coach Michael Mayne says the technical staff have been following Mae’s progression in the United States for a while.

“It's been excellent getting Mae into the group. She's come in and seamlessly weaved into the group.

“She's got some different perspectives from her pathway and how she's reached the Ferns It's been really pleasing.

“On the grass, she's really given a good account of what she likes to do and how she likes to play.  Very technical player but a real good football head on her as well. It's been really good and I'm looking forward to tracking her progress again across the rest of the tour.”

Mayne says the new comer, along with the squad have now settled into life in Spain, adjusting to the warmer weather and time difference.

He says Haiti represents a physical test for the Kiwis.

“I think across the two games we've got on this tour we've got two very different opposition.

“I think Haiti's DNA, when you look at them, they're strong, physical, direct.

“I think with Pierre in charge of that group they'll have a real idea around how they want to play against us. We expect them to bring that physicality to the game.

“For me, everything's leaning now towards the 2027 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

“Making sure that when we get to the selection conversations for that we're in a really good position and understand the players and what they can bring to our way and our team. 

“I guess the pressure that I've put on the players is individually around their detail. Now they can just bring our game plan alive across these two games.

“Really looking for a professional performance from everybody in the group this tour,” says the New Zealand coach.

You can watch the Ford Football Ferns match against Haiti live and free on TVNZ+ with kick off at 4am NZT.

Article added: Friday 05 June 2026