Subway Socceroos’ Head Coach, Tony Popovic will assemble a squad of 23 players for an intensive training camp in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in the lead up to Australia’s AFC Asian Qualifiers™ – Road to 26 fixtures against Japan and Saudi Arabia.
READ MORE: Squad Notes: Six players return, with three set for first Socceroos training camp in Abu Dhabi
In what will be the Subway Socceroos’ final Round Three Qualification fixtures, Australia will take on Japan at Perth Stadium, Perth on Thursday, 5 June (kick-off 7.00pm local / 9.00pm AEST) and Saudi Arabia at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Jeddah on Tuesday, 10 June (9.15pm local / 4.15am AEST – Wednesday, 11 June).
The camp – which features players now free from club duties for the 2024/25 season – will give Popovic and his staff the opportunity to work closely with both new and returning players, while also ensuring they are in peak physical condition when the final squad is selected later this month.
Riley McGree (Middlesborough FC) and Connor Metcalfe (FC St Pauli) are amongst several familiar faces who return to the national team environment having missed recent camps due to injury.
A large contingent of uncapped, young talent have been rewarded for their recent form including Max Balard (NAC Breda), Nicolas Milanovic (Aberdeen FC), Paul Okon-Engstler (SL Benfica) and Nectarios Triantis (Hibernian FC).
Subway Socceroos’ Head Coach, Tony Popovic said the training camp was integral to his squad’s preparation for their upcoming World Cup Qualifiers.
“Firstly, I’m very grateful to Football Australia for their support with this training camp which is invaluable for the players and staff ahead of our games in June,” Popovic said.
“We’ve got players finishing up their seasons at a range of different times, so it’s important they remain physically and mentally sharp in the weeks leading up to the final squad selection. I'm looking forward to the chance to work together for an extended period.
“There are also a lot of players who are currently in-season with their clubs, and we’ll be monitoring them closely over the coming weeks,” Popovic concluded.
The Subway Socceroos’ official squad for the June FIFA Men’s International Window will be announced in late-May.
Scheduled to be played from September 2024 to June 2025, the AFC Asian Qualifiers™ – Road to 26 features three groups of six teams playing in a home-and-away, round-robin format, offering direct qualification to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ for the top two finishers of each group.
To find out all the latest information on fixtures, results and Third Round Qualification updates please click here.
The Subway Socceroos’ FIFA World Cup 2026™ Qualifiers will be broadcast live thanks to Football Australia’s broadcast partner, Paramount Australia.
SUBWAY SOCCEROOS’ SQUAD l TRAINING CAMP – ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
| Name | Current Club, Country | ‘A’ Caps (Goals | Junior Club / Member Federation (Country) |
| Keanu BACCUS | Mansfield Town FC, England | 21 (1) | Parklea FC / Football New South Wales |
| Max BALARD | NAC Breda, Netherlands | 0 | Maccabi Hokoah FC / Football NSW |
| Brandon BORRELLO | Western Sydney Wanderers FC, Australia | 15 (2) | Modbury Jets SC / Football SA |
| Martin BOYLE | Hibernian FC, Scotland | 32 (10) | Lewis United FC / Montrose FC (Scotland) |
| Cameron BURGESS | Ipswich Town FC, England | 15 (0) | ECU Joondalup / Football West |
| Anthony CACERES | Sydney FC, Australia | 3 (0) | Marconi Stallions / Football NSW |
| Jason DAVIDSON | Panserraikos F.C., Greece | 23 (1) | Hume City FC / Football VIC |
| Miloš DEGENEK | FK TSC Bačka Topola, Serbia | 47 (1) | Blacktown City FC / Football NSW |
| Joe GAUCI | Aston Villa FC, England | 7 (0) | Cumberland United FC / Football SA |
| Alex GERSBACH | Western Sydney Wanderers FC, Australia | 6 (0) | Miranda Magpies / Football NSW |
| Thomas GLOVER (GK) | Middlesborough FC, England | 0 | Menai Hawks / Football NSW |
| Jack IREDALE | Hibernian FC, Scotland | 0 | ECU Joondalup / Football West |
| Paul IZZO (GK) | Randers FC, Denmark | 0 | Campbelltown City SC / Football SA |
| Riley McGREE | Middlesborough FC, England | 29 (1) | Gawler Eagles FC / Football South Australia |
| Connor METCALFE | FC St Pauli, Germany | 24 (0) | South Cardiff FC / Northern NSW Football |
| Nicolas MILANOVIC | Aberdeen FC, Scotland | 0 | Sydney United 58 / Football NSW |
| Lewis MILLER | Hibernian FC, Scotland | 11 (1) | Pittwater RSL FC / Football NSW |
| Paul OKON-ENGSTLER | S.L Benfica, Portugal | 0 | Marconi Stallions / Football NSW |
| Mat RYAN (GK) | RC Lens, France | 98 (0) | Blacktown City FC / Football NSW |
| Ryan STRAIN | Dundee United, Scotland | 6 (0) | Aston Villa FC (UK) |
| Adam TAGGART | Perth Glory FC, Australia | 22 (7) | ECU Joondalup / Football West |
| Nectarios TRIANTIS | Hibernian FC, Scotland | 0 | Canterbury Junior FC / Football NSW |
| Kusini YENGI | Unattached | 12 (6) | Fulham United FC / Football SA |
SUBWAY SOCCEROOS’ FIXTURES | JUNE FIFA MEN’S INTERNATIONAL WINDOW
Subway Socceroos v Japan
Thursday, 5 June 2025
Perth Stadium, Perth
Kick-off: 7.00pm local / 9:00pm AEST
Tickets: Available via Ticketmaster
Broadcast: 10, 10 Play and Paramount+
Saudi Arabia v Subway Socceroos
Tuesday, 10 June 2025
King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Jeddah
Kick-off: 9.15pm local / 4.15am AEST
Broadcast: Paramount+