Futsal history will be made in the Philippines when New Zealand competes in the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup 2025 ™, the very first of it’s kind.
Sixteen nations will compete in the inaugural edition of the event, and New Zealand have been drawn alongside global heavyweights Portugal, Asian champions Japan, and African runners-up Tanzania. The tournament runs across two weeks from November 21 to December 7, with all games played at the PhilSports Arena in Manilla.
“It’s hard to really put into words,” says Futsal Ferns head coach Nic Downes. “To qualify and be part of the first ever FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup is incredibly special. For now, we’re living in the moment and enjoying every minute of it.”
The Futsal Ferns qualified as continental champions after winning the OFC Futsal Women’s Nations Cup 2024 in the Solomon Islands. Over the course of the tournament, New Zealand scored 36 goals and conceded just three.
In preparation for the event, Downes has tested his side against multiple higher-ranked opponents, including the likes of Brazil, Thailand, and Iran. Whilst they have failed to defeat any of those opponents, they have gained vital experience and minutes to test players and tactics ahead of the competition’s kick-off.
“We’ve been able to get several good quality games this year to really challenge the playing group. It’s the most games we’ve ever played in a year.”
“We’ve learnt so much from those different experiences and had some incredibly difficult moments. But it’s also provided some crucial learning and set the standard for who we want to be as a team.”
New Zealand are currently ranked 25th in the world according to the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Ranking and are the third highest ranked team of four in their group. Portugal are ranked 3rd, Japan are 5th, and Tanzania are ranked 82nd.
“We are realistic about what we can achieve, and we know it will be tough against Japan and Portugal. Both are established futsal nations who currently sit in the top 5 in the world, and we want to keep those games as close and competitive as possible for as long as possible. Tanzania is a lesser established futsal nation but finished second in the African qualifiers and we know will be tough as well. It is a game that we believe will be a bit more balanced and we want to express ourselves a bit more”
Downes also hopes New Zealand’s participation in the event will have an impact on inspiring more female futsal participation back home and in the OFC region.
“Futsal is such a great game. Showcasing the sport and getting more girls and women into Futsal at all levels is our goal.”
The Futsal Ferns begin their campaign against Japan at the PhilSports Arena in Manilla this Sunday evening (NZT).
Futsal and football fans can watch all the action from the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup LIVE and FREE on FIFA+.
New Zealand matches (all times NZT):
Japan vs New Zealand | Sunday 23rd November 2025, 5:00PM | WATCH HERE
New Zealand vs Tanzania | Wednesday 26th November 2025, 6:00PM | WATCH HERE
New Zealand vs Portugal | Sunday 29th November 2025, 7:30PM | WATCH HERE
Photo credit: OFC Media via Phototek