Mary Fowler’s Women’s Asian Cup dream has become a reality after Matildas coach Joe Montemurro named her in his squad for the tournament despite just 15 minutes of lead-in action.

It comes as Sam Kerr was confirmed as the Matildas’ captain for the tournament ahead of Australia’s arrival in Perth for their tournament opening game next weekend.

Manchester City star Fowler is one of a multitude of big names included in Montemurro’s squad of 26 who will begin their quest for a first Women’s Asian Cup title since 2010 when they open the tournament against The Philippines at Optus Stadium a week on Sunday.

But Montemurro has made the tough call to not include a pair of fan favourites, with World Cup hero Cortnee Vine and full-back Charli Grant missing the cut.

There are not many surprises in Montemurro’s squad, with Kerr, vice-captains Steph Catley and Ellie Carpenter, Caitlin Foord, Mackenzie Arnold, Alanna Kennedy, Hayley Raso, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Katrina Gorry and Fowler all named.

The latter has just a quarter-of-an-hour’s worth of Women’s Super League minutes to her name this season, coming on February 1 against Chelsea in her comeback game after tearing her ACL in April last year.

But Montemurro has decided to roll the dice by including her in the squad, with the 23 year-old’s x-factor ultimately too hard to turn down.

While Kerr has not started consistently since her own return from a torn ACL, the Perth born-and-raised superstar’s inclusion was never in doubt.

However, there was no such luck for Vine and Hunt, the pair proving to be the heartbreak stories of Montemurro’s selection process.

The hero of Australia’s marathon Women’s World Cup quarter-final penalty shoot-out win over France, Vine spent time away from the game for mental health reasons in 2024 after the Paris Olympics.

Back playing for North Carolina Courage in America’s National Women’s Soccer League, the winger returned to the Matildas squad for their October friendlies against Wales and England, but Montemurro has opted to back in emerging attackers Holly McNamara, Kaitlyn Torpey and Kahli Johnson.

For 24 year-old Grant, who has not played since November due to a knee injury sustained in training for club side Tottenham, her absence will be a crushing blow.

The right-back, who has proved a more than capable deputy for Carpenter, played just two minutes at the 2023 Women’s World Cup and then was one of the last players cut from the Matildas’ Olympic squad last year.

Montemurro’s squad contains 16 of the 23 players who featured in his predecessor Tony Gustavsson’s side for the World Cup.

Of the 26 players named, eight (Winonah Heatley, Clare Hunt, Kahli Johnson, Jamilla Rankin, Charlize Rule, Amy Sayer, Kaitlyn Torpey and Jada Whyman) are all featuring in an Asian Cup squad for the first time.

Matildas squad for the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup

Goalkeepers: Mackenzie Arnold, Teagan Micah, Jada Whyman

Defenders: Ellie Carpenter, Steph Catley, Winonah Heatley, Clare Hunt, Alanna Kennedy, Courtney Nevin, Jamilla Rankin, Charlize Rule

Midfielders: Alex Chidiac, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Katrina Gorry, Amy Sayer, Emily van Egmond, Clare Wheeler

Forwards: Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler, Michelle Heyman, Kahli Johnson, Sam Kerr, Holly McNamara, Hayley Raso, Remy Siemsen, Kaitlyn Torpey