Australia will return to the ASEAN Women’s Championship this August, confirming its participation in the 2025 edition of the tournament, officially known as the ASEAN MSIG Serenity Cup, to be held across the Vietnamese cities of Haiphong and Phú Thọ from 6 - 19 August.
Participation in the tournament forms part of Football Australia’s broader commitment to strengthening football ties across Southeast Asia, aligning with long-term goals around regional collaboration, performance benchmarking, and development opportunities.
As a full ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) member since 2013, Football Australia values the opportunity to engage with its counterpart Member Associations, both on and off the pitch.
CommBank Matildas Assistant Coach Joe Palatsides will lead the Australian U-23 Representative Team, supported by CommBank Matildas technical staff member, James Slaveski and former CommBank Junior Matildas technical staff member, Faye Chambers.
The trio brings a blend of youth development expertise, senior national team insight, and a shared belief in building depth through experience.
The Australia U-23 Representative Team has been drawn in Group B alongside the senior national teams of Myanmar, Timor-Leste and the Philippines. The group stage fixtures will see Australia face Myanmar on Thursday, 7 August (4.30pm local), the Philippines on Sunday, 10 August (7.30pm local), and completing the group action against Timor-Leste on Wednesday, 13 August (7.30pm local), with all matches played at Việt Trì Stadium.
The squad will be announced in the coming weeks, with players involved in the CommBank Young Matildas’ AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup qualifying campaign not considered for this tournament to ensure each program is given the space to prepare and perform.
For Palatsides, the emphasis is on giving players meaningful international exposure within a structure that mirrors the CommBank Matildas senior environment.
Alongside Australia U-23’s Group B fixtures, Group A will feature the senior national teams of hosts Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. The top two teams from each group will progress to the semi-finals.
Full tournament details are available here.
Quotes attributable to Football Australia Interim CEO, Heather Garriock:
“Our engagement with ASEAN is bigger than any one tournament. It’s about building trusted partnerships, contributing to the regional football ecosystem, and positioning Australia as an active and valued member of the AFC and ASEAN sporting community.”
“Participating in the ASEAN Women’s Championship allows us to align with regional neighbours on and off the pitch, while also providing our players with the chance to experience different football cultures and styles which is vital to their development.
“This initiative supports our long-term objectives around regional cooperation, football diplomacy, and shared player development frameworks and areas we will continue to prioritise in partnership with the AFF and our fellow member nations.”
Quotes attributable to Head Coach, Joe Palatsides:
“This tournament is an excellent opportunity to give emerging players the continued competitive match minutes they need to grow as international footballers. We’ll be heading over with a clear identity, a strong development purpose, and a group ready to represent the country with pride.”
“This is part of a bigger picture, and these players are part of a generation that’s pushing hard to be consistent contributors to the CommBank Matildas in the coming years. They’re hungry, they’re talented, and they need chances like this to show what they’re capable of.”
“Some might be on the verge now, others might emerge through this tournament but the more we expose them to international football, to Asian opponents, the stronger the future becomes. This is a group that will represent the future of Australian football, and we’re looking forward to seeing what they can do.”
“We won’t just be taking a team to participate, we’ll be taking a team to compete, to develop, and to continue learning. Whether players have gained senior selection, are on the verge or earlier in their journey, this kind of experience is invaluable.”
“It’s a chance to test themselves in a different environment, in a different style of tournament, with all the pride that comes with wearing the green and gold.”
AUSTRALIA | MATCH SCHEDULE | 2025 ASEAN WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIPS
Myanmar v Australia U-23
Date: Thursday, 7 August 2025
Kick-off: 4.30pm local / 7.30pm AEST
Venue: Việt Trì Stadium, Phú Thọ, Vietnam
Australia U-23 v Philippines
Date: Sunday, 10 August 2025
Kick-off: 7.30pm local / 10.30pm AEST
Venue: Việt Trì Stadium, Phú Thọ, Vietnam
Australia U-23 v Timor-Leste
Date: Wednesday, 13 August 2025
Kick-off: 7.30pm local / 10.30pm AEST
Venue: Việt Trì Stadium, Phú Thọ, Vietnam
