Squad confirmed as Socceroos edge towards touchdown in Sydney

Football Australia today confirmed Australia’s squad for next Thursday’s FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ qualification match against Saudi Arabia at Western Sydney Stadium in Parramatta.

For the first time in over two years the Socceroos will take to the field on Australian soil as the team’s quest to reach a fifth consecutive FIFA World Cup™ continues in front of passionate home support.

Due to the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic the Socceroos haven’t played in Australia since October 2019 when the team defeated Nepal 5-0 in Canberra.

However, following months of discussions between Football Australia and the NSW Government, and collaboration with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the Socceroos are set to make a welcome physical return to the Australian sporting landscape.

“The players selected for our upcoming FIFA window are brimming with excitement to return home and to play in front of Australian supporters, as well as their family and friends,” Socceroos Head Coach Graham Arnold said. “The players will get so much energy from playing in front of a strong home crowd at a first-class Stadium.”

“With border restrictions in some locations across the nation easing, we’ve been able to welcome some Australian-based players back into the Socceroos’ family this window. Mathew (Leckie), Jamie (Maclaren), and Andrew (Nabbout) have all been watching our campaign from afar over the past two months, and they are thrilled with the opportunity to re-join the squad and make an impact on our qualification campaign.

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“Tom Rogic, Aaron Mooy and Adam Taggart were unavailable for selection this window due to injury or quarantine, however we have developed good depth in the Socceroos over the past few years and the squad that has been selected is one that we have full belief in to perform strongly for the Australian public.”

The Socceroos’ squad for November’s FIFA window consists of 20 overseas-based players, with four (4) representatives – Melbourne City FC’s Leckie, Maclaren, Nabbout, and Sydney FC’s Rhyan Grant – selected from A-League Men.

The sole uncapped player in Australia’s squad for November 2021 is former Central Coast Mariners utility Gianni Stensness, who is now playing his football in Norway with Viking FK. Stensness, who hails from the Northern Beaches of New South Wales and played his junior football with Pittwater RSL FC and Collaroy Cromer Strikers FC, has represented both Australia and New Zealand at youth level in the past, however recently pledged his senior national team allegiance to the green and gold.

MORE: Gianni Stensness' unique journey into Green and Gold

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS FOR SOCCEROOS V SAUDI ARABIA! 

Tickets for the Socceroos’ clash with Saudi Arabia are on sale via Ticketek. This week, the NSW Government advised that Western Sydney Stadium would be at 100 percent capacity for the match, enabling a crowd of up to 30,000 to witness and support the Socceroos in their first home game in 763 days. 

Every match throughout the Socceroos’ FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ – AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar (Final Round) campaign will be broadcast exclusively live and free in Australia via Network 10 and simulcast on 10 Play.

Australia will play its second match of November’s FIFA window against China PR on Tuesday, 16 November 2021 (local time). This fixture will be held on neutral territory in the United Arab Emirates, with Sharjah Stadium in Sharjah, just north of Dubai, the setting for matchday six.

Socceroos Squad | 8 – 17 November 2021 | FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ – AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar (Final Round)

Name

Club, Country

‘A’ Caps (Goals)

Junior Club
(Member Federation/Country)

Aziz BEHICH

Giresunspor, Turkey

45 (2)

Meadow Park SC (Football Victoria)

Martin BOYLE

Hibernian FC, Scotland

10 (5)

Lewis United FC/Montrose FC (Scotland)

Milos DEGENEK

Red Star Belgrade, Serbia

31 (1)

Blacktown City FC (Football NSW)

Kenneth DOUGALL

Blackpool FC, England

3 (0)

Samford Rangers FC (Football Queensland)

Mitchell DUKE

Fagiano Okayama, Japan

13 (6)

Liverpool Rangers SC (Football NSW)

Callum ELDER

Hull City AFC, England

1 (0)

Manly United FC (Football NSW)

Denis GENREAU

Toulouse FC, France

1 (0)

Brighton SC (Football Victoria)

Rhyan GRANT

Sydney FC, Australia

18 (1)

Canowindra Juniors/Bathurst 75 (Football NSW)

Ajdin HRUSTIC

Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany

11 (2)

Heatherton United SC (Football Victoria)

Jackson IRVINE

FC St. Pauli, Germany

41 (6)

Ringwood City SC (Football Victoria)

James JEGGO

Aris Thessaloniki, Greece

9 (0)

Green Gully SC (Football Victoria)

Fran KARACIC

Brescia Calcio, Italy

5 (1)

NK Lokomotiva (Croatia)

Mathew LECKIE

Melbourne City FC, Australia

65 (13)

Brimbank Stallions FC (Football Victoria)

Awer MABIL

FC Midtjylland, Denmark

21 (6)

Saint Augustines SC (Football South Australia)

Jamie MACLAREN

Melbourne City FC, Australia

18 (6)

Green Gully SC (Football Victoria))

Riley MCGREE

Birmingham City FC, England

5 (0)

Gawler Eagles FC (Football South Australia)

Andrew NABBOUT

Melbourne City FC, Australia

9 (2)

Brunswick City SC (Football Victoria)

Nikita RUKAVYTSYA

Hapoel Be’er Sheva FC, Israel

20 (1)

Perth SC/Inglewood United (Football West)

Mathew RYAN (Gk)

Real Sociedad, Spain

65 (0)

Blacktown City FC (Football NSW)

Trent SAINSBURY

KV Kortrijk, Belgium

54 (3)

Armadale SC (Football West)

Harry SOUTTAR

Stoke City FC, England

9 (6)

Brechin City Boys Club (Scotland)

Gianni STENSNESS

Viking FK, Norway

0 (0)

Pittwater RSL FC/Collaroy Cromer Strikers FC (Football NSW)

Lawrence THOMAS (Gk)

SønderjyskE Fodbold, Denmark

1 (0)

Winston Hills Bears FC (Football NSW)

Danny VUKOVIC (Gk)

NEC Nijmegen, Netherlands

4 (0)

St Clair United SC (Football NSW)


FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ – AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar (Final Round)

Matchday 5: Australia v Saudi Arabia
Date: Thursday, 11 November 2021
Venue: Western Sydney Stadium, Parramatta 
Kick-off: 8:10pm AEDT
Tickets: Please click here to purchase match tickets
Broadcast: Live and free in Australia on Network 10 and simulcast on 10 Play

Matchday 6: China PR v Australia
Date: Tuesday, 16 November 2021
Venue: Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Kick-off: To be confirmed
Broadcast: Live and free in Australia on Network 10 and simulcast on 10 Play

ULTIMATE GUIDE: Everything you need to know about Socceroos v Saudi Arabia