Phoenix’ schedule revealed
History will be made when the Wellington Phoenix play their first ever W-League match, taking on the Western Sydney Wanderers in an exciting double-header event on December 3.
Following the draw announcement by APL yesterday, which revealed the A-League and W-League seasons will kick off on November 19 and December 3 respectively, the Phoenix confirmed they will play all A-League and W-League matches on Australian soil until at least January 2022, due to Covid restrictions.
These restrictions also mean that both squads will play all of their matches within New South Wales during this time — against other NSWbased clubs — with the Phoenix’s base of operations and temporary home venue yet to be confirmed.
The Phoenix A-League season opens on Sunday, November 21 with a must-see match versus Macarthur FC at Campbelltown Stadium — one of four away games the club will face in the first six weeks of the 2021/22 season, alongside two designated home matches.
Meanwhile the Phoenix Women will play their first ever match on the opening night of the W-League competition, facing off against Western Sydney Wanderers on Friday, December 3. That match, along with their three other matches scheduled in the initial draw, will be doubleheaders with the Phoenix men.
Both Phoenix squads are expected to travel to New South Wales at the end of October as they continue preparations for the start of their seasons.
Wellington Phoenix general manager David Dome says the club has been preparing itself to be based in Australia for a portion of the season due to Covid and the current lack of a transtasman bubble.
“As a club we’ve learnt over the past two seasons to be as adaptive and flexible as possible, especially with all the challenges that Covid has thrown at us,” says Dome.
“We always knew our W-League side would be based in Australia for their inaugural season, and now we can confirm our A-League will spend the first six weeks of the season in Australia as well — with an eye to returning to New Zealand in the new year to play our remaining home matches.”
APL Commissioner of Leagues, Greg O’Rourke said: “The league is extremely grateful for the sacrifices that Wellington has made — and continues to make — in its re-location and separation from family and friends in order to compete in the leagues.”