"This will be my third Olympic Games, along with some of the players, and this has definitely been the toughest squad to choose," said coach Tony Readings.
"There have been some players who have been very unfortunate to miss out and that just shows the depth of our squad."
Seven players in the squad - captain Abby Erceg, Anna Green, Amber Hearn, Ria Percival, Kirsty Yallop, Katie Duncan and Ali Riley - travel to Brazil for their third Olympic Games.
Readings said experience was the one of the most important factors when it comes to big tournaments. His team has done a lot of research on what leads to success at major events and the common trend is the teams with age and experience.
"Having girls who have been to three Olympic Games and to numerous age-group world events means they have been there and done it before," he said.
"That experience will be a key factor when we get to the Olympics, no doubt."
Meanwhile at the other end of the experience spectrum, two of the New Zealand Women's team in Jasmine Pereira and Meikayla Moore are heading to the Olympics for the first time. Meanwhile, all of the travelling reserves - Catherine Bott, Daisy Cleverley, Satchell and Victoria Esson - are all heading to Rio and hoping to play in their first Olympic Games.
"The good thing about young players is they play with no fear and they fully express themselves which will be important for us at this tournament," said Readings.
The New Zealand Women's Football team will look to better their quarter-final appearance at the 2012 London Olympic Games and contend for a medal at the Rio Olympic Games.
