Twenty-five young female footballers from Madang have completed a week-long training and selection camp in Lae as they pursue places in the Papua New Guinea Under-16 Women’s National Team.

The squad, made up of 21 players from the Madang Soccer Association (MSA) and four from Rai Coast, departed Madang on Monday, 22 June 2026, for the intensive training camp held at the PNG Football Association Academy at 11 Mile in Lae.

The week-long camp, which ran from 22 to 26 June, served as a national selection trial, giving promising young players the opportunity to showcase their talents and compete for a place in the PNG U16 Women’s National Team.

The players are expected to return home on Saturday, 27 June.

Centre of Excellence (COE) Coordinator for the Under-16 girls, Tracey Kig, said the training camp was a valuable opportunity for the young players to develop both on and off the field.

“This training camp is not only about selecting players for the PNG U16 Women’s National Team. It is an opportunity for our girls to improve their skills, discover their strengths, and gain valuable experience by training at a higher level. The exposure motivates them to work harder and continue developing so they can compete at the standard expected of national team players.”

Ms Kig said regardless of the final selection outcome, every player would return home with greater confidence, improved technical ability, and a better understanding of what it takes to represent Papua New Guinea.

She added that the experience would benefit not only the individual players but also women’s football in Madang, as the girls would bring back new knowledge and inspire other young footballers in their communities.