The Matildas will play New Zealand at Canberra Stadium on April 12 in the second game of a two-match series during a FIFA international window.

That means the likes of Sam Kerr, Steph Catley, Ellie Carpenter, Emily van Egmond, Kyah Simon, and Canberra goalkeeper Lydia Williams will be available for selection. Football Australia boss James Johnson expects the strongest-possible line-up to be in action.

Canberra officials are hoping for a bumper crowd for the Tuesday-night fixture with the Matildas playing in the city for the first time since 2013, when they played at the AIS athletics track in front of a handful of fans.

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The Matildas' popularity has exploded since then, Johnson hoping for a similar turnout to last year when a combined 56,000 fans watched two games against the United States in Sydney and Newcastle.

Big crowd numbers will hinge on the Matildas rolling out the big guns, including superstar striker Kerr and former Canberra United duo Carpenter and Williams.

"We're coming here with the best team possible," Johnson said.

"I can say with a high degree of confidence that Tony [Gustavsson] will select the best team possible, which will mean the best players when we come to Canberra.

"If you look at the numbers that are coming to Matildas matches at the moment, we're getting great numbers. The numbers are off the scales, broadcast numbers are as high as they've ever been for this team, and I think that comes back down to the brand. So we are very confident ... we're going to have a great crowd."

The game in the capital will be the second during the series but the venue for the opening game of the series - the first since Australia was knocked out of the Asian Cup quarterfinals in January - is yet to be announced.

The unannounced venue for the series opener on April 8 was rumoured to be Townsville.

The Matildas match was one of the three national team games promised to Canberra three years ago as part of the ACT government's commitment to build a $33.5 million Home of Football in Throsby.

After hosting the Socceroos in 2019, and the upcoming April match, one fixture remains unsecured; a Young Matildas match. ACT sports minister Yvette Berry said the government would continue working on getting the fixture as promised.

Johnson said COVID-19 was to blame for the two-year delay of getting the Matildas fixture to Canberra.

"We've had a practical issue for a number of months, which is why we were limited to play within New South Wales because NSW opened quicker than in other states and territories," he said.

"As soon as the borders have opened, which is the case now, we wanted to get the brand in other parts of the country. And coming to Canberra, coming to the ACT, is very key for us."

The games against New Zealand will be crucial for the Matildas after their disappointing Asian Cup campaign and with just over a year until Australia hosts the women's World Cup for the first time.

Canberra missed out on becoming one of the official World Cup training sites last week, but the ACT government still aims to have its new development at Throsby up and running to act as a base for international teams.

Despite the delays, Berry said the government was cautiously optimistic about having Throsby online to act as a training base during the tournament. She said, however, some parts may not be finished until 2024.

The women's minister also said the match was an amazing experience for every Canberran to get behind, especially young players.

"It's an important part of anybody's journey to see what they want to be one day," she said.

"It makes a huge difference to young people when they get to see the heroes, and I guess those sports people that they aspire to be one day, that they can come here and be part of that whole exciting experience."

One player who will miss the upcoming fixture, but will be back in time for the World Cup, is Chloe Logarzo. The injured Matilda put the call out for support for the side, with just over 500 days to go until it kicks off.

"It's starting to feel very real, we the Matildas are so ecstatic to play in front of everyone for the first time in 2022," she said.

"With just 18 months to go, we are looking forward to playing in front of as many as we can. So turn up and shout out."