Brisbane Roar trio Quinn MacNicol, Charlie Parkin and Rhys Williams have been selected in Australia’s 23-player squad for the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2025TM to be held between 3 – 20 April.
The squad will assemble for a pre-camp from Friday, 21 March to commence their preparations for the tournament, prior to their opening fixture against Vietnam.
Australia has been drawn into Group B and will face Vietnam (4 April – local time), United Arab Emirates (7 April – local time) and Japan (10 April – local time).
The U17 continental tournament – which serves as qualifying for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025TM – will see the top eight teams earn their place at the age group’s showpiece event to be held in November 2025.
This means that should the Subway Joeys secure passage out of their Group, they will punch their ticket to the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the first time since 2019.
Brad Maloney’s squad will arrive in Saudi Arabia in a rich vein of form, having been most recently crowned Hattrick U17 International Tournament Champions, in a cycle which has also included a successful ASEAN U16 Boys Championship campaign, and strong results in tours of both Europe and the Pacific.
Quinn MacNicol became Roar’s youngest ever player aged just 15 when he debuted against Newcastle Jets in the Australia Cup Round of 32 and goalscorer when he went on to find back of the net against Sydney United 58 in the following round.
The midfielder, who has made five A-League appearances captained the Joeys throughout qualifying scoring a number of goals in their path to the Asian Cup.
Rhys Williams, who has also found the back of the net for the Joeys on several occasions is a promising attacking midfielder, formerly of Moreton Bay United who’s impressed in the club’s NPL set up in the first half of the 2024 season.
Towering defender, Charlie Parkin earns another call up after playing a key role in the heart of defence for Young Roar and also having trained with the club’s A-League side.
Parkin also arrived at Roar from Moreton Bay United where he was crowned as Football Queensland’s Junior Male Player of the Year in 2023.
All Subway Joeys matches at the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2025TM will be broadcast live and exclusive on 10 Play.
MATCH DETAILS:
Subway Joeys v Vietnam U17
Friday, 4 April 2025
Okaz Stadium, Taif
Kick-off: 6.00pm local / 2.00am AEDT (Saturday, 5 April) Broadcast: 10 Play
United Arab Emirates U17 v Subway Joeys
Monday, 7 April 2025
King Fahd Sports City Stadium, Taif
Kick-off: 8.15pm local / 4.15am AEDT (Tuesday, 8 April) Broadcast: 10 Play
Japan U17 v Subway Joeys
Thursday, 10 April 2025
Okaz Stadium, Taif
Kick-off: 6.00pm local / 2.00am AEDT (Friday, 11 April) Broadcast: 10 Play
