CommBank Joeys Head Coach Carl Veart named his 24-player squad to represent Australia against the U-19 national teams of Fiji and Solomon Islands in a three-match international series supported by the Australian Government through PacificAus Sports.
The squad named features a mix of returning players and fresh faces, reflecting the depth of talent emerging across the country. Several players earned their first international call-up following strong performances at club and state level, while others bring valuable experience from previous CommBank Joeys camps and tournaments.
The matches will provide key preparation for the CommBank Joeys ahead of May’s AFC U17 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, while Fiji and the Solomon Islands will use the fixtures to build towards the 2026 OFC U19 Championship.
Quotes attributable to CommBank Joeys Head Coach Carl Veart:
“This PacificAus Sports Tour is a fantastic opportunity for our players to gain valuable international experience and prepare for the AFC U17 Asian Cup later this year.
“Competing against Fiji and the Solomon Islands U19s teams will not only challenge us on the pitch but also contribute to deeper football development and strengthened ties across the region. We’re excited to represent our country and continue building these important connections.
“The squad we’ve selected reflects the depth and quality of talent coming through our pathways and is a well-balanced group with a mix of players from across the country. This tour will be a great challenge for the boys and an important opportunity for development as we build towards the AFC U17 Asian Cup.”
The tour will kick off on Friday, 17 January in Lautoka, Fiji, where the Joeys will meet Fiji at Churchill Park. The squad will then travel to Honiara, Solomon Islands, for two further fixtures against the Solomon Islands on Monday, 20 January and Friday, 24 January at National Stadium.
PacificAus Sports Football Tour 2026 is the latest initiative connecting Australia and the Pacific through football, marking the fifth tour or tournament between Australian and Pacific national teams since 2024.
CommBank Joeys Squad | PacificAus Sports Football Tour 2026
| Name | Surname | Position | Current Club | Junior Club / MF |
| Winston | Ashburner | Defender | Melbourne Victory FC | Yarraville Glory FC / Football VIC |
| Luke | Becvinovski | Attacker | Melbourne City FC | Pascoe Vale FC / Football VIC |
| Mitchell | Bright | Goalkeeper | Queensland State Team | Caloundra City SC/Football QLD |
| Fraser | Brown | Defender | Melbourne City FC | Croydon City SC/Football VIC |
| Ryan | Buttigieg | Midfielder | Sydney FC | South West Wanderers FC / Football NSW |
| Laris | Cesko | Goalkeeper | Adelaide United FC | Campbelltown City SC / Football SA |
| Max | Court | Midfielder | APIA Leichhardt FC | APIA Leichhardt FC / Football NSW |
| Corey | Da Cruz | Midfielder | Sydney FC | Bankstown United FC / Football NSW |
| Luka | Demuth | Midfielder | Melbourne City FC | Aspendale Stingrays SC / Football VIC |
| Oliver | Dimovski | Defender | Melbourne Victory FC | Whittlesea Ranges FC / Football VIC |
| Georgio | Hassarati | Attacker | Western Sydney Wanderers FC | Putney Rangers FC / Football NSW |
| Emile | Katrib | Defender | Western Sydney Wanderers FC | Panania Diggers SC / Football NSW |
| William | Kengni | Defender | Melbourne Victory FC | Whittlesea Ranges FC / Football VIC |
| Cristian | Lombardo | Attacker | APIA Leichhardt FC | Concord Junior SC / Football NSW |
| Miles | Milliner | Defender | Sydney FC | Collaroy Cromer Strikers FC / Football NSW |
| Sajjad | Nasiri | Midfielder | Adelaide United FC | Ingle Farm SC / Football SA |
| Oliver | O’Carroll | Midfielder | Melbourne City FC | Middle Park SC / Football VIC |
| Malik | Olukhale | Attacker | Melbourne Victory FC | Brunswick Zebras SC / Football VIC |
| Aston | Reid | Midfielder | Sydney FC | Lilli Pilli FC / Football NSW |
| Stevan | Rujak | Defender | Western Sydney Wanderers FC | White City FC / Football NSW |
| Marcus | Savic | Defender | Western Sydney Wanderers FC | Moorebank Sports SC / Football NSW |
| Achnaff | Sayon | Attacker | Perth Glory | Riverside CFC / Football West |
| Josef | Sikora | Attacker | Sydney FC | Dunbar Rovers FC / Football NSW |
| Cooper | Winqvist | Goalkeeper | IK Sirius Fotboll | Lilli Pilli FC / Football NSW |
CommBank Joeys Match Schedule | PacificAus Sports Football Tour 2026
Match One
Date: Saturday 17 January 2026
Kick-off: 4pm (FJT) / 3pm (AEDT)
Teams: Fiji U-19 v CommBank Joeys
Venue: Churchill Park, Lautoka, Fiji
Match Two
Date: Tuesday 20 January 2026
Kick-off: 6pm (SBT/AEDT)
Teams: Solomon Islands U-19 v CommBank Joeys
Venue: National Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands
Match Three
Date: Saturday, 24 January 2026
Kick-off: 4pm (SBT/ AEDT)
Teams: Solomon Islands U-19 v CommBank Joeys
Venue: National Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands
PacificAus Sports is an Australian Government sports diplomacy initiative developing pathways for Pacific teams and athletes to compete in elite competitions and access high performance coaching in Australia and internationally. The program partners with Australian national sports organisations to support a range of Pacific sports, with funding split evenly between women and men.