Football Ferns Set for International Showdown With Venezuela in Spain

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (PS) – New Zealand’s Football Ferns will return to international action next month, taking on Venezuela in a two-match friendly series in southern Spain, New Zealand Football confirmed Sunday.

Ranked No. 32 in the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings, the Ferns will face 51st-ranked Venezuela on June 1 and June 4 (NZT). The opener will take place at the Marbella Football Centre in San Pedro de Alcántara, with the second match set to be held at a yet-to-be-confirmed venue elsewhere in southern Spain.

The meetings will mark the first-ever senior international encounters between the two nations.

Venezuela’s squad is expected to feature forward Mariana Speckmaier, a former Wellington Phoenix striker who currently plays for Melbourne City in Australia’s A-League Women. Her familiarity with the Ferns’ setup brings an intriguing subplot to the clash.

Michael Mayne will continue to serve as interim head coach for New Zealand, with NZ Football anticipating the appointment of a permanent head coach before the end of May.

The fixtures come after the Ferns’ scheduled April friendlies against Chinese Taipei were abruptly cancelled due to pitch concerns in Auckland. That cancellation made securing match time in June a high priority for the coaching staff.

“After the disappointment of not being able to play in the last international window due to issues outside of our control, securing matches this window was crucial so we can continue to build on the work we have implemented so far this year,” Mayne said in a statement.

“Venezuela are again a great fit for this stage of the campaign and have a player in Mariana Speckmaier that is very well known to our team.”

“It was important for us to find games this window that can allow us to test our squad and the way we are developing our play in competitive matches,” he added. “The team have been really receptive to the new playing model, new language, and new ideas for how we work, so I’m looking forward to getting to Spain and supporting the team with getting some really strong performances out on the pitch against Venezuela.”

Match Schedule (NZT)

Sunday, June 1, 2025
🇻🇪 Venezuela vs New Zealand
📍 Marbella Football Centre, San Pedro de Alcántara
🕓 4:00 a.m. (NZT)

Wednesday, June 4, 2025
🇻🇪 Venezuela vs New Zealand
📍 Venue to be confirmed, Spain
🕓 4:00 a.m. (NZT)