IT has been a stellar few days for Dubbo's Ashleigh Sykes after the Canberra United star was awarded the W-League Goal of the Year and then named in the Matildas World Cup squad.

The 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup will be held in Canada during June and July and Australian national coach Alen Stajcic announced his 23-player squad yesterday morning.

After impressing in mainly cameo roles off the bench during the Matildas recent tour of Europe, Sykes did enough to warrant a spot.

It will be her first appearance at a World Cup while she will also appear alongside two Canberra United teammates, goalkeeper Lydia Williams and striker Michelle Heyman.

The squad announcement came less than 24 hours after the attacking midfielder, who played a vital role in Canberra United's unlikely run to last season's title, was honoured at the 2015 Awards Night.

Sykes' stunning volley from the edge of the box against Perth Glory in round 12 this year saw her collect the Goal of the Year prize.

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The strike helped her side defeat the minor premiers and seal a place in the W-League finals in the process.

Stajcic and the rest of the Matildas team will be hopeful to see more highlights from the Dubbo product when they meet number two ranked USA, fifth-ranked Sweden and African champions Nigeria in a difficult World Cup group.

Despite the difficult draw, Stajcic promised Australia would go with attacking intent and give a good account of themselves.

"Going on from our philosophy and style of play, it's a dynamic, mobile team that can attack and score goals," the coach said.

"It is a team that has lots of variations in attack so I believe we can cause a threat to any team in the world, and the players that were picked were certainly picked with that in mind."

Sykes certainly fits the attacking bill, as do the likes of Heyman, reigning Asian Female Player of the Year Katrina Gorry and young gun Larissa Crummer.

The biggest talking point in the squad was the selection of Melissa Hudson, nee Barbieri, for her fourth FIFA Women's World Cup.

The 35-year-old Hudson is the most experienced member of the 23-player squad.

It includes three players - Lisa De Vanna, Clare Polkinghorne and Williams - who will be at their third World Cup from June 6-July 5.

18 members of the group that finished runners-up at last year's AFC Women's Asian Cup are in the squad while Sykes is one of 10 players making her World Cup debut.

Multi-sport star Ellyse Perry was not considered for selection after her W-League season was ruined by injury.

Matildas World Cup squad: Lydia Williams (gk), Larissa Crummer, Ashleigh Sykes, Clare Polkinghorne, Laura Alleway, Servet Uzunlar, Steph Catley, Elise Kellond-Knight, Caitlin Foord, Emily van Egmond, Lisa De Vanna, Leena Khamis, Tameka Butt, Alanna Kennedy, Teresa Polias, Hayley Raso, Kyah Simon, Melissa Hudson (gk), Katrina Gorry, Samantha Kerr, Mackenzie Arnold (gk), Nicola Bolger, Michelle Heyman.