The Matildas‘ preparations as hosts of the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup are beginning to ramp up, with the continental showpiece set to kick-off in just over 130 days on March 1. As such, the next few months are critical for players to impress new head coach Joe Montemurro and stake their claim on a spot in the squad.
Not only are there plenty of quality players plying their trade locally in the A-League Women, but also an ever-growing list of Aussies scattered around the globe, and it’s time to keep an eye on those abroad.
The list does not include Australians who have declared and played for other eligible national teams for obvious reasons, nor does it track the dozens of Australians plying their football in the U.S. college system.
Instead, this is a list of players playing in top leagues around the world; some are known Matildas quantities, and many others on the national team fringe waiting for an opportunity to be afforded to them. The list follows the order of Global Football Rankings‘ top leagues, to give readers an idea of the strength of minutes — or lack thereof — each player is getting.
There are 23 spots up for grabs in Montemurro’s Asian Cup squad. Who will find form this season and make the new Matildas boss sit up and take notice?
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Cortnee Vine, 27, FW, North Carolina Courage: Vine has continued life in North Carolina, gaining most of her minutes this NWSL season as an option off the bench for the Courage.
Mackenzie Arnold, 31, GK, Portland Thorns: Arnold has cemented herself as the No. 1 for the Thorns, playing 17 games this season and recording two clean sheets. It keeps the Matildas first-choice goalkeeper conversation interesting.
Kaitlyn Torpey, 25, DF, Portland Thorns: Torpey has been playing as a right back for the Thorns and started the season logging plenty of minutes. Starting as a winger in the A-League Women, her use as a right back in Portland presents an interesting question as to where she is deployed for the Matildas.
Steph Catley, 31, DF, Arsenal: The move from left back to center back has been fruitful for Catley at both club and country level, and she has continued playing centrally to start this new season. Finishing 29th in the Ballon d’Or voting, the Gunners stalwart has played almost every minute available to her in the Women’s Super League this season.
Kyra Cooney-Cross, 23, MF, Arsenal: Into her third season with the Gunners, Cooney-Cross hasn’t played as many minutes as Matildas fans would have hoped to see. Consistent game time is key for the midfield maestro and a move away from north London may be on the cards.
Caitlin Foord, 30, FW, Arsenal: Foord is as important to Arsenal as she is the Matildas and that’s reflected in her game-time. She’s been a constant in Renée Slegers’s side to start the new season and will be hoping to add a Women’s Super League title to her UEFA Women’s Champions League winner’s medal from last season.
Charlie Rule, 22, DF, Brighton & Hove Albion: After a tough start to life in Brighton thanks to injuries, Rule stuck it out and is now reaping the rewards. With a clean bill of health — and under former Melbourne City boss Dario Vidosic — the 22-year-old is a consistent starter for the Seagulls.
Ellie Carpenter, 25, DF, Chelsea: After five seasons in Lyon, Carpenter made the switch from the French giants to the English champions and has reunited with former coach Sonia Bompastor. The right back has slotted into the Blues’ side seamlessly.
Sam Kerr, 32, FW, Chelsea: She’s back! After 634 days on the sidelines, Kerr returned to the pitch and got straight back to doing what she does best. The Matildas captain notched up her 100th goal for the Blues in her return game. Working her way back into the Blues’ starting line-up is next on the agenda.
Clare Wheeler, 27, MF, Everton: Into her fourth season at Everton, Wheeler is very much viewed as a leader by the club, donning the armband in some preseason fixtures. The midfielder has played consistently to begin the Toffees’ league campaign.
Emily van Egmond, 32, MF, Leicester City: Van Egmond has been on the move of late, starting 2025 by moving from San Diego Wave in the NWSL to Birmingham City in the Women’s Super League 2, playing eight games as the team just missed out on promotion. On the eve of the new season, she switched Birmingham for Leicester and has been important for the Foxes.
Alanna Kennedy, 30, DF, London City Lionesses: Kennedy is another player who has been on the move, ending up in London via a stint at Angel City FC in the USA. She has been an option off the bench for the newly promoted side.
Mary Fowler, 22, MF, Manchester City: Fowler is not on the park at the moment as she rehabs an ACL injury but has committed her future to Manchester City long term, signing a deal to keep her at the club until 2027.
Charli Grant, 24, DF, Tottenham Hotspur: It’s another year at Spurs for Grant, and another fight for consistent game time for the South Australian fullback. Her minutes have been limited so far this season.
Clare Hunt, 26, DF, Tottenham Hotspur: After a down year last season, when it looked like her confidence had taken a knock, Hunt is back to her resolute best and is playing week in, week out, in the heart of Spurs’ defence.
Katrina Gorry, 33, MF, West Ham United: Injuries have kept Gorry away from the national team for much of 2025, but she is ever present for West Ham. The skipper has played almost every minute of the season from the centre of the park.
Teagan Micah, 28, GK, OL Lyonnes: Micah has swapped Liverpool for Lyon and is currently on the bench behind Chilean star Christiane Endler. She got a game in the Champions League but will hoping to pick up more minutes to strengthen her case as the Matildas’ No. 1.
Kyah Simon, 34, FW, Dijon: A disappointing stint with Sydney FC saw Simon fail to take to the pitch through injury. She is now looking to get back to playing in France with Dijon.
Frauen-Bundesliga
Anna Margraf, 24, FW, Carl Zeiss Jena: Margraf is another who hasn’t necessarily been on the national team radar and has been getting cameos off the bench this season for her German club, Carl Zeiss Jena.
Hayley Raso, 30, FW, Eintracht Frankfurt: It looked as though Raso was always going to leave Real Madrid but Eintracht Frankfurt was an unexpected destination. She has picked up minimal minutes off the bench to begin the 2025-26 campaign.
Jamilla Rankin, 22, DF, TSG Hoffenheim: Rankin has emerged as a Matildas squad player with consecutive call-ups and good minutes for the national team. She is backing that up with consistent game time at left back at Hoffenheim in the new Frauen-Bundesliga season.
Serie A Femminile
Alex Chidiac, 26, MF, FC Como: After another successful stint at Melbourne Victory, Chidiac has landed in Como as she looks to stake a claim on a Matildas spot. She was a sub off the bench in her side’s opening game of the season.
Winonah Heatley, 24, DF, Roma: Heatley’s Matildas career has been blossoming and her move from Denmark to Italy should give her even more opportunities at a higher level to continue impressing. She’s already logged full 90s in the league and the Women’s Champions League.
Jacynta Galabadaarachchi, 24, MF, Sassuolo: Galabadaarachchi made the move from Portugal and will be hoping to build her game-time as the season continues after earning a few minutes off the bench in the season opener.
Jess Nash, 21, DF, Sassuolo: Nash swapped the Central Coast Mariners for Sassuolo and has started life in Italy positively. She’s played every available minute in the centre of defence.
Damallsvenskan
Jada Whyman, 25, GK, AIK: Whyman has been the No. 1 at AIK since she arrived in 2024 and she’s been put to the test, staving off relegation last season and helping the team to midtable this campaign. Despite this, and plenty of call-ups, a Matildas debut has still not eventuated.
Aivi Luik, 40, DF, BK Häcken: A presence in many a Matildas squad under Tony Gustavsson, Luik may not be in national team conversations anymore, but she is still playing regularly in Sweden.
Amy Sayer, 23, MF, Kristianstads DFF: Sayer has looked the goods since returning from her ACL injury. She’s playing consistently in Sweden and has recorded two goals and four assists across the season.
Remy Siemsen, 25, FW, Kristianstads DFF: Siemsen has been playing plenty for Kristianstads, starting more often than not. Concerningly, goals have not been forthcoming for the New South Wales native.
Polly Doran, 23, DF, Linköping: While she hasn’t been on the radar of national team selectors, Doran has been playing consistently in Sweden, building up to full matches at right back.
Courtney Nevin, 23, DF, Malmo: Nevin made the move back to Sweden after a couple of seasons with Leicester, where playing time wasn’t always consistent, and has gotten right back to playing full 90s in the Malmo backline.
Daniela Galic, 19, MF, Vittsjo: While her move to FC Twente didn’t pan out, Galic has taken like a duck to water at Vittsjo. She’s logging a heap of minutes and has found the back of the net four times in what is important game-time in her still very young career.
Liga MX Femenil
Emily Gielnik, 33, FW, Monterrey: Gielnik swapped Melbourne for Monterrey and had been building into the season with four goals but unfortunately an injury will keep her from the pitch.
Morgan Aquino, 24, GK, DC Power FC: Aquino is backing it up once again for DC Power in the USL and is the No. 1 keeper for the side. She’s recorded just the one clean sheet with the team getting off to a slow start to begin the new season.
Sophie Harding, 26, FW, Fort Lauderdale United FC: Harding left the Western Sydney Wanderers at the end of the season to move to Fort Lauderdale, but visa delays have prevented her from playing for the team.
Charlotte McLean, 25, DF, Tampa Bay Sun FC: McLean wasn’t getting minutes at North Carolina Courage so has been loaned to USL side Tampa Bay Sun, playing a handful of games to start the season.
2. Frauen-Bundesliga
Alana Murphy, 20, MF, SC Sand: After a strong stint with Melbourne Victory, Murphy’s first move abroad saw her land in the second tier of German football. She’s been playing consistently with her team, SC Sand, top of the table.
Scottish Women’s Premier League
Emma Ilijoski, 22, DF, Aberdeen: Plying her trade in Scotland, Ilijoski has been playing on the left side of defence for Aberdeen, occasionally pushing into midfield, through the first chunk of the season.
Milly Boughton, 19, MF, Hibernian: A former member of Arsenal’s under-21 side and Tottenham, Boughton is hoping to gain more minutes in Scotland and add to her youth national team call-ups.
1:08
Montemurro: Western United a disappointing loss
Matildas boss Joe Montemurro has called Western United an important model club and expressed disappointment at their hibernation for the 2025-26 A-League seasons.
Stacey Papadopoulos, 28, DF, Hibernian: A former Western United player, Papadopoulos hasn’t been on the national team radar but is in her second season with Hibs.
Serie B Femminile
Chloe Berryhill, 30, MF, Como 1907: Not to be confused with the Como that Chidiac is playing for, Berryhill (née Logarzo) has found herself in the second tier of Italian football. Her Como 1907 team have started the season positively with four wins in five games.
Kahli Johnson, 21, FW, Calgary Wild FC: The 21-year-old was a revelation on Matildas debut and has enjoyed a great first season in Canada with Calgary. While injury curtailed her minutes in the midpart of the season, she is back playing and attacking.
Disney+ is the only place Australia and New Zealand football fans can watch all 75 matches UEFA Women’s Champions League live each season, with selected live games featuring on ESPN and ESPN2, available via Foxtel, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV and Sky NZ.
