Football Ferns to host top-level teams

Rosie White celebrates with Ali Riley and Betsy Hassett after scoring a goal. Photo /Getty Images

The Football Ferns' women's World Cup preparations will go up a gear next month on home soil with a tri-series involving Korea and Australia.

Coming off the back of a win and a draw with 16th-ranked Denmark this week, Tony Readings' side - currently sitting 18th in the world - will welcome world No 7 Korea and the 10th-ranked Australia to Bill McKinlay Park in Auckland in early February.

The series will begin with the Football Ferns meeting Korea on February 8 before the two visitors clash two days later. The series wraps up on February 12 with the transtasman clash.

New Zealand Football high performance director Fred de Jong said the series was the latest example of the implementation of the organisation's Beyond Football High Performance strategy which aimed to reposition the code in the Kiwi sporting landscape.

"The Beyond Football vision for our game sets out a plan to build the ability of our teams to not only qualify regularly for World Cups, but to excel once at those tournaments," de Jong said.

"Securing this series, against the quality and level of opposition we have, as part of the Football Ferns' World Cup build-up continues to demonstrate our strong commitment to deliver on that goal.

Readings was delighted his side would be put through their paces against two of the world's top 10 so close to the showcase event later in the year.

"It's a massive coup to get these games," Readings said.

"This is what we need; consistent matches against quality opposition to keep testing every aspect of our game so when we get to the World Cup we're battle-hardened and a lot more bullet proof in terms of the way we play."

Readings said the series would give the players another opportunity to continue to cement their places for Canada while also sending a signal to other teams at the World Cup, including their opposition in Group A of the event.

"I'm sure the players are relishing the challenge of pitting themselves against the best players in the world but also against each other over the next five months to look to push themselves to the forefront of the coaches' minds," Readings said.

In their most recent clashes against the two sides, the Football Ferns recorded a 1-0 loss to Korea in February last year while they took a tight 1-0 loss and a 1-1 draw from a two-match encounter with the Matildas in June, 2013 in Canberra.

Football Ferns to host top-level teams: NZME.
Bill McKinlay Park, Auckland from February 8-12
Football Ferns v Korea, Sunday 8 February, 7.30pm
Korea v Australia Matildas, Tuesday 10 February, 3.30pm
Football Ferns v Australia Matildas, Thursday 12 February, 7pm