2025–26 Wellington Phoenix FC season

Wellington Phoenix
2025–26 season
Preseason match between Wellington Phoenix and Wrexham on 19 July 2025.
ChairmanRob Morrison
ManagerGiancarlo Italiano
StadiumSky Stadium
A-League MenTBD
Australia CupQuarter-final
Top goalscorerLeague: N/A
All: Hideki Ishige
Lukas Kelly-Heald
(1 goal each)
Biggest win1–0
vs. Nunawading City (A)
(10 August 2025)
Australia Cup
All statistics correct as of 10 August 2025.

The 2025–26 season is Wellington Phoenix Football Club's 19th season in the A-League Men. In addition to the domestic league, the club is participating in this season's edition of the Australia Cup.

Players

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Nigeria NGA Josh Oluwayemi
3 DF New Zealand NZL Corban Piper
5 MF New Zealand NZL Fin Roa Conchie
6 DF New Zealand NZL Tim Payne
7 FW Nigeria NGA Ifeanyi Eze
8 MF Australia AUS Paulo Retre
9 FW Japan JPN Hideki Ishige
10 FW Australia AUS Nikola Mileusnic
11 FW Australia AUS Carlo Armiento
14 MF New Zealand NZL Alex Rufer (captain)
15 DF New Zealand NZL Isaac Hughes
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 FW New Zealand NZL Gabriel Sloane-Rodrigues (scholarship)
18 DF New Zealand NZL Lukas Kelly-Heald
19 FW New Zealand NZL Nathan Walker (scholarship)
23 FW New Zealand NZL Luke Supyk
24 DF New Zealand NZL Xuan Loke (scholarship)
25 MF Japan JPN Kazuki Nagasawa
27 DF New Zealand NZL Matthew Sheridan
29 FW New Zealand NZL Luke Brooke-Smith (scholarship)
30 GK New Zealand NZL Alby Kelly-Heald
39 DF New Zealand NZL Jayden Smith (scholarship)

Other players with first-team appearances

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
40 GK New Zealand NZL Eamonn McCarron
42 FW New Zealand NZL Fergus Gillion
No. Pos. Nation Player
46 MF New Zealand NZL Lachlan Candy

Transfers

Transfers in

No. Pos. Player Transferred from Type/fee Contract length Date Ref.
7 FW Nigeria Ifeanyi Eze Iraq Al-Karkh Free transfer 1 year 15 July 2025 [1][2]
11 FW Australia Carlo Armiento Unattached Free transfer 1 year 22 July 2025 [3]
10 FW Australia Nikola Mileusnic Perth Glory Free transfer 1 year 13 August 2025 [4]

Transfers out

No. Pos. Player Transferred to Type/fee Date Ref.
4 DF England Scott Wootton Perth Glory End of contract 30 June 2025 [5][6]
19 DF Sam Sutton Perth Glory End of contract 30 June 2025 [5][7]
7 FW Kosta Barbarouses Western Sydney Wanderers End of contract 30 June 2025 [8][9]
11 FW North Macedonia Stefan Colakovski Unattached End of contract 30 June 2025 [10]
12 MF Portugal Francisco Geraldes Malaysia Johor Darul Ta'zim End of loan 30 June 2025 [10]
35 GK Dublin Boon Unattached End of contract 30 June 2025 [10]

Pre-season and friendlies

19 July 2025 Wellington Phoenix New Zealand 1–0 Wales Wrexham Wellington
17:00 NZST
  • Flowerdew 49'
Report Stadium: Sky Stadium
Attendance: 25,399

Competitions

Overall record

Competition First match Last match Starting round Record
Pld W D L GF GA GD Win %
A-League Men October 2025 May 2025 Matchday 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0 !
Australia Cup 27 July 2025 TBD Round of 32 2 1 1 0 2 1 +1 050.00
Total 2 1 1 0 2 1 +1 050.00

Last updated: 10 August 2025
Source: Competitions

A-League Men

League Table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
9 Perth Glory 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for 2026 Australia Cup play-offs
10 Sydney FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 Wellington Phoenix[a] 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 Western Sydney Wanderers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 Western United (W) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Withdrawn[b]
First match(es) will be played: 17 October 2025. Source: A-Leagues
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) goals scored; 4) wins; 5) head-to-head results; 5a) head-to-head points; 5b) head-to-head goal difference; 6) Fair Play points; 7) away goal difference; 8) away goals per match; 9) home goal difference; 10) home goals per match; 11) toss of a coin in an event of a tie of two clubs.
(W) Withdrawn before the start of the season.
Notes:
  1. ^ Auckland FC and Wellington Phoenix cannot qualify for Asian Football Confederation competitions as they are based in New Zealand, which is part of the Oceania Football Confederation.
  2. ^ Western United's license was revoked on 8 August 2025.[11] The decision has been appealed by the club.[12]

Results summary

Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD
0 0 0 0 0 0  0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0 0 0 0 0 0  0

Australia Cup

The round of 32 Australia Cup draw took place on 26 June 2025, with the Phoenix drawing A-League Men rivals Perth Glory.[13] The draw for the round of 16 and subsequent rounds took place on 30 July 2025.[14]

27 July 2025 Round of 32 Perth Glory 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(7–8 p)
Wellington Phoenix Perth
15:00 AWST
Report Stadium: Kingsway Reserve
Attendance: 1,141
Referee: Liam Barclay
Penalties
10 August 2025 Round of 16 Nunawading City 0–1 Wellington Phoenix Melbourne
15:00 AEST Report
Stadium: Nasiol Stadium
Attendance: 1,423
Referee: Eric Saba
19 August 2025 Quarter-finals Heidelberg United v Wellington Phoenix Melbourne
19:30 AEST Source Stadium: Olympic Park

Statistics

Appearances and goals

Includes all competitions. Players with no appearances not included in the list.

As of 10 August 2025
No. Pos. Nat. Player A-League Men Australia Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1 GK Nigeria Josh Oluwayemi 0 0 1 0 1 0
5 MF New Zealand Fin Roa Conchie 0 0 2 0 2 0
6 DF New Zealand Tim Payne 0 0 1 0 1 0
7 FW Nigeria Ifeanyi Eze 0 0 0+1 0 1 0
8 MF Australia Paulo Retre 0 0 0+2 0 2 0
9 FW Japan Hideki Ishige 0 0 2 1 2 1
11 FW Australia Carlo Armiento 0 0 0+1 0 1 0
15 DF New Zealand Isaac Hughes 0 0 2 0 2 0
17 FW New Zealand Gabriel Sloane-Rodrigues 0 0 2 0 2 0
18 DF New Zealand Lukas Kelly-Heald 0 0 2 1 2 1
23 FW New Zealand Luke Supyk 0 0 0+2 0 2 0
24 DF New Zealand Xuan Loke 0 0 2 0 2 0
25 MF Japan Kazuki Nagasawa 0 0 2 0 2 0
27 DF New Zealand Matthew Sheridan 0 0 2 0 2 0
29 FW New Zealand Luke Brooke-Smith 0 0 2 0 2 0
39 DF New Zealand Jayden Smith 0 0 1 0 1 0
40 GK New Zealand Eamonn McCarron 0 0 1 0 1 0
42 FW New Zealand Fergus Gillion 0 0 0+1 0 1 0
46 MF New Zealand Lachlan Candy 0 0 0+1 0 1 0

Disciplinary record

Includes all competitions. The list is sorted by squad number when total cards are equal. Players with no cards not included in the list.

As of 10 August 2025
Rank No. Pos. Nat. Name A-League Men Australia Cup Total
Yellow card Yellow card Yellow-red card Red card Yellow card Yellow card Yellow-red card Red card Yellow card Yellow card Yellow-red card Red card
1 6 DF New Zealand Tim Payne 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0
8 MF Australia Paulo Retre 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0
24 DF New Zealand Xuan Loke 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0
Total 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0

Clean sheets

Includes all competitions. The list is sorted by squad number when total clean sheets are equal. Numbers in parentheses represent games where both goalkeepers participated and both kept a clean sheet; the number in parentheses is awarded to the goalkeeper who was substituted on, whilst a full clean sheet is awarded to the goalkeeper who was on the field at the start of play. Goalkeepers with no clean sheets not included in the list.

As of 10 August 2025
Rank No. Nat. Goalkeeper A-League Men Australia Cup Total
1 40 New Zealand Eamonn McCarron 0 1 1
Total 0 1 1

See also

Notes

References

  1. ^ "Nix land exciting Nigerian striker". Wellington Phoenix. 15 July 2025.
  2. ^ Rollo, Phillip (15 July 2025). "Wellington Phoenix sign Nigerian goal-scorer Ifeanyi Eze to replace Kosta Barbarouses". Stuff. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  3. ^ "Left-side attacker joins the Nix". Wellington Phoenix. 22 July 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  4. ^ "Nix sign renowned A-League speedster". Wellington Phoenix. 13 August 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Defenders to depart after Australia Cup playoff". Wellington Phoenix. 12 May 2025. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  6. ^ Morgan, Gareth (27 May 2025). "Experienced centre-back Wootton wings his way west". Perth Glory.
  7. ^ Morgan, Gareth (26 May 2025). "Glory snap up New Zealand international defender". Perth Glory.
  8. ^ "Barbarouses farewells the Phoenix". Wellington Phoenix. 27 May 2025.
  9. ^ "Barbarouses joins Wanderers for 2025/26 season". Western Sydney Wanderers. 18 June 2025.
  10. ^ a b c "Phoenix confirm departures of three men's players". Wellington Phoenix. 2 July 2025. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  11. ^ Rugari, Vince (8 August 2025). "Aloisi 'devastated' as former champions Western United stripped of A-League licence". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  12. ^ "Western United Club Statement". Western United. 8 August 2025.
  13. ^ "Hahn Australia Cup 2025 Round of 32 Draw confirmed". Australia Cup. 26 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  14. ^ Voerman, Andrew (31 July 2025). "Australia Cup draw sets up prospect of a New Zealand derby semifinal for Auckland FC, Wellington Phoenix". Stuff. Retrieved 2 August 2025.