Last month, multiple players and coaches from the Hills United FC headed down to Melbourne to participate in the 2026 CommBank Emerging Matildas Championships.
Held over 12 days, the CommBank Emerging Matildas Championships aim to continue to strengthen the connection between youth football and Australia’s senior national teams, reinforcing a clear, high-performance pathway toward the CommBank Matildas.
The 2026 CommBank Emerging Matildas Championships brought together U15S and U16S teams from Football Australia’s nine State and Territory Member Federations and invitational teams including the Charles Perkins XI, Vietnam Football Federation and Japan Football Academy.
Hills United FC serves as the association’s elite-level football club, participating in the Football NSW National Premier League competitions in both men’s and women’s. Thus, the selection of Kate Billiards and Lexi Angland to represent NSW in the 2026 CommBank Emerging Matildas Championships was a great achievement for the players, their families, the club, and the wider association.
Furthermore, Hills United senior women’s players Victoria Martin and Jess Garret as well as Hills Football Community Football Manager Reece Gabriel were also at the Championships and helping the teams in various coaching roles.
Angland’s team made it to the U15S semifinals; however, the participation and experience both girls gained from this tournament will be a key takeaway and will serve them well moving forward in their young careers.
