# 2024 A-Leagues All Stars Women game

The 2024 A-Leagues All Stars Women game was an exhibition soccer match that was played on 24 May 2024, featuring an all-star team of the A-League Women against Women's Super League club Arsenal at Docklands Stadium in Melbourne, Australia as part of Global Football Week Melbourne. It was the first edition of the A-Leagues All Stars Women game and the fourth of the A-Leagues All Stars Game.

## Background

In March 2024, the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) announced three fixtures that would include the A-Leagues All Stars Game at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne as part of Global Football Week Melbourne. The inaugural A-Leagues All Stars Women team will play against Women's Super League club Arsenal, and is set to take place on 24 May 2024 after the men's game who will play Premier League club Newcastle United. It will be the first time the Arsenal women side has played in Australia. Newcastle would also play Tottenham Hotspur at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in a friendly two days before the All Stars game. The official kit partner was announced to be Kappa. The game will be televised in Australia on 10 Bold and Paramount+.

## Squads

The A-League All Stars Women squad will consist of 19 players, with a mandatory two goalkeepers, and be selected by coaching staff. Alex Chidiac and Hannah Wilkinson were announced on 23 April 2024 as the first two players to be selected in the squad as voted by fans. On 26 April, Joe Montemurro was announced as head coach, with Kat Smith and Emily Husband as assistant coaches, and Melissa Maizels appointed as goalkeeping coach.
The All Stars Women squad was announced on 9 May. Of the 19 players selected, five were part of the Australian squad in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, and four from Sydney FC that won the Grand Final on 4 May. Arsenal announced their 19-player squad on 20 May with Australian internationals Steph Catley, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Caitlin Foord included. The referee for the match was Casey Reibelt. Emma Kocbek and Maggie Price were named as assistant referees with Georgia Ghirardello as the fourth official.

### A-Leagues All Stars Women squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | AUS | Lydia Williams (Melbourne Victory) |
| 2 | DF | AUS | Danika Matos (Western Sydney Wanderers) |
| 4 | DF | AUS | Grace Maher (Western United) |
| 5 | DF | NZL | Michaela Foster (Wellington Phoenix) |
| 6 | DF | NZL | Rebekah Stott (Melbourne City, captain) |
| 7 | FW | AUS | Sophie Harding (Western Sydney Wanderers) |
| 8 | MF | AUS | Elise Kellond-Knight (Melbourne Victory) |
| 9 | MF | AUS | Rhianna Pollicina (Melbourne City) |
| 10 | MF | AUS | Alex Chidiac (Melbourne Victory) |
| 11 | FW | AUS | Cortnee Vine (Sydney FC) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 13 | MF | AUS | Tameka Yallop (Brisbane Roar) |
| 15 | MF | AUS | Mackenzie Hawkesby (Sydney FC) |
| 16 | FW | NZL | Hannah Wilkinson (Melbourne City) |
| 17 | FW | AUS | Kyah Simon (Central Coast Mariners) |
| 18 | DF | USA | Kayla Morrison (Melbourne Victory) |
| 20 | FW | AUS | Princess Ibini (Sydney FC) |
| 22 | DF | AUS | Alana Cerne (Western United) |
| 23 | FW | AUS | Michelle Heyman (Canberra United, vice-captain) |
| 99 | GK | AUS | Jada Whyman (Sydney FC) |

### Arsenal squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 2 | DF | USA | Emily Fox |
| 7 | DF | AUS | Steph Catley |
| 10 | MF | SCO | Kim Little (captain) |
| 12 | MF | NOR | Frida Maanum |
| 15 | DF | IRL | Katie McCabe |
| 19 | FW | AUS | Caitlin Foord |
| 21 | MF | NED | Victoria Pelova |
| 22 | MF | DEN | Kathrine Møller Kühl |
| 23 | FW | ENG | Alessia Russo |
| 24 | FW | CAN | Cloé Lacasse |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 29 | DF | ENG | Teyah Goldie |
| 32 | MF | AUS | Kyra Cooney-Cross |
| 40 | GK | ENG | Naomi Williams |
| 53 | FW | ENG | Vivienne Lia |
| 56 | MF | ENG | Freya Godfrey |
| 60 | MF | ENG | Laila Harbert |
| 61 | FW | ENG | Maddy Earl |
| 62 | DF | ENG | Katie Reid |
| 86 | GK | FRA | Sarah Bouhaddi |

### Criticism

After the announcement of Montemurro, Lisa De Vanna criticised the decision to select a coach not employed in the A-League Women, suggesting that it is an "insult to all the coaches who have put in the effort and remained loyal" in Australia. Former Central Coast Mariners player Daniel McBreen supported this notion, stating that an A-League Women coach should have been "honoured" with the role.