Football Ferns to play Costa Rica in February next year

The Football Ferns have announced their first set of fixtures since the Olympic Games with two matches scheduled against Costa Rica in February next year.

Both games will be played at Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto in San José, Costa Rica, and it will be the first time that the two nations have met.

The Ferns are currently No. 31 in the FIFA world rankings - the lowest rank they've ever had. Costa Rica are ranked No. 43 in the world.

Interim head coach Michael Mayne will lead the side for the two fixtures, as New Zealand Football begin the recruitment process for the next permanent head coach.

This process is expected to start early next year with Mayne open to taking on the role full-time.

Mayne took over as interim coach from Jitka Klimková, who stayed home for the teams' Olympic campaign following an investigation into an employment matter in which she was cleared.

The Ferns lost all three of their matches at the Olympics to France, Colombia and Canada.

Klimková then resigned from her role in September, leaving Mayne in charge as interim coach.

Mayne said he's looking forward to starting a new era with the Ferns to build towards the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

“It is great to announce these fixtures and kick off a new cycle for the team.

“What we have at this point, and will use to our advantage, is time to set our intentions and expectations as a team, with a focus on preparing to perform in the qualifying tournament and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027, as well as providing our growing pool of talented players with international football experience.

“The past couple of months have centred on understanding where we are at, and what we should focus on, starting in February against Costa Rica, and I’m excited about working with the team on and off the pitch to achieve something great.

“Costa Rica are a really good fit for us in this window and will provide the perfect test for what I need to see from the players and staff as we embark on this new cycle.”

The two games will be broadcast live and free on FIFA+.