Revealed: the 29 players fighting to be included in the Matildas’ World Cup squad

Six players to be cut from provisional squad after coach Tony Gustavsson oversees pre-Cup training camp on Gold Coast

Matildas head coach Tony Gustavsson has revealed the 29-player provisional squad he will select from to form his final 23-strong squad for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Included in the squad is forward Kyah Simon, who is recovering from an ACL tear and has played just two hours of football since May, and Western United midfielder Chloe Logarzo who missed the end of the Liberty A-League campaign with a plantar fasciitis injury.

But there is no room for a number of World Cup aspirants in the 29-player provisional squad, including recent debutant defender Matilda McNamara, and star Melbourne City winger Holly McNamara.

The latter is a significant omission from the provisional squad; since coming back from an ACL injury, Holly McNamara has played six games for City and five more in the NPL for APIA Leichhardt. The 20-year-old is one of the most exciting young prospects in the emerging Matildas crop.

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Elise Kellond-Knight is another key absentee; the veteran midfielder looked set to be one of the fairy tale stories of the tournament for the Matildas after recovering from her own ACL injury, but ruptured her Achilles tendon at Melbourne Victory training in March.

READ: Every 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup squad confirmed so far

The provisional squad is set to descend on the Gold Coast for final tournament preparations, before hosting France in a World Cup tune-up on Friday, July 14. Gustavsson will shave the provisional 29-player squad down by six in July.

“From the first day of our first training session in 2021, we said it would take 23 in 23 for the FIFA Women’s World Cup and everyone would have a role to play in that journey,” Gustavsson said.

“What we have seen is that it has actually taken more than 23 players to bring us to this moment and for that reason I am thrilled to work with the players named in this Provisional Squad during the final phase of our preparation.

“I have been impressed by their full commitment at every step, and now we have the chance to fine tune and solidify our gameplan ahead of a phenomenally exciting couple of weeks.

“I would like to also take this opportunity to thank the Federation, my dedicated national team staff and the clubs for the support given to provide the players the platform to be as best prepared for the tournament of a lifetime.

The Matildas open their World Cup campaign against Republic of Ireland in Sydney on July 20, before facing Nigeria (July 27 in Brisbane) and Canada (July 31 in Melbourne).

MATILDAS | 29-PLAYER PROVISIONAL SQUAD