Subway Australian U-23s Head Coach, Tony Vidmar has named a 23-man squad for the PacificAus Sports Football Series to play against New Caledonia and Vanuatu senior men's national teams during the September FIFA International Window.
The Subway Australian U-23s will be based out of Port Vila, Vanuatu, playing fixtures at Freshwater Stadium on Thursday, 5 September against New Caledonia (3pm local) and Sunday, 8 September against Vanuatu (3pm local).
Vanuatu and New Caledonia will also face off on Saturday, 31 August, with the PacificAus Sports Football Series providing the opportunity for both sides to play competitive matches ahead of their Oceania Football Confederation FIFA World Cup™ Qualifiers.
Selecting a squad of Australian-based players for this Pacific Series, Vidmar has assembled a group with varying junior national team experience, with a view to his side's next major tournament in the AFC U23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026™.
While preparations for the current cycle are in their early stages, the Pacific Series provides an opportunity for Vidmar and his staff to work with a younger cohort of players - many for the first time - who will be eligible for selection in 2026.
Vidmar will lean on the experience of Patrick Beach (Melbourne City FC), Adrian Segecic (Sydney FC) and Jordi Valadon (Melbourne Victory FC) who have previously spent time in the U-23 program, who will help lead a younger brigade featuring Kasey Bos (Melbourne Victory FC), Jed Drew (Macarthur FC), Clayton Taylor (Newcastle Jets FC) and Abel Walatee (Western United FC).
Adelaide United FC's Ethan Alagich has been named after recently putting pen to paper on a long-term contract, alongside club teammates Ethan Cox, Yaya Dukuly and Panashe Madanha. Justin Vidic (Newcastle Jets FC) and Nathaniel Blair (Perth Glory FC) both earn selection off the back of braces in their respective sides' recent Australia Cup 2024 Round of 32 victories.
Subway Australian U-23s Head Coach, Tony Vidmar said he was looking forward to returning to the Pacific.
"I've got great memories of the Pacific from when we were in the Oceania Confederation, we were always made to feel so welcome, it's great we can come back to build those connections through football," Vidmar said.
"I think this is going to be a great experience for this young group of players, as they come up against two senior teams who are preparing for World Cup Qualifiers. It'll be testing in what will be a new team environment for many, in conditions they haven't experienced before.
"This tour is about building depth across this age group, as we begin working directly with players we feel could play a role in our program over the next two years.
"The players are still in the early stages of pre-season with their A-League clubs and we're looking forward to what our overall program, along with these competitive matches, will offer for each of them individually and as a group.
"They've got the opportunity to train and play alongside some of the best young players in our domestic league and I've got no doubt it will be a great chance for them to continue to develop within the national team pathway," Vidmar concluded.
Football Australia appreciates the support of the Australian Government, through PacificAus Sports, which has made this tour possible.
PacificAus Sports is an Australian Government sports diplomacy initiative developing pathways for Pacific teams and athletes to compete in elite competitions and access high performance coaching in Australia and internationally. The program partners with Australian national sports organisations to support a range of Pacific sports, with funding split evenly between women and men. PacificAus Sports also partners with the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) to promote Pacific sport through ABC Television's 'That Pacific Sports Show' and ABC Radio's 'Fresh Off the Field'. The high-performance outcomes of PacificAus Sports are complemented by the Australian Government's Team Up
