After five weeks of gruelling pre-season fitness training, Gold Coast United's players and coaches get their first match action of the new campaign with two matches against the New Caledonian national team next week.

United travel to Noumea on Saturday (5 June) for an eight-day training camp, punctuated with games on Wednesday 9 June and Saturday 12 June at the Numa Daly Stadium.

Miron Bleiberg will travel with a 20-man squad but will be without World Cup-bound Jason Culina and Shane Smeltz, along with striker Joel Porter who is nursing a minor ankle injury and will not be risked.

But Gold Coast's Head Coach says their absence will open the door for some of United's promising youngsters to stake a claim for regular inclusion with the senior squad.

"The two matches will be our first 'competitive' games this term and everyone is looking forward to that," Bleiberg said.

"Obviously we will be without our two World Cup stars in Jason (Culina) and Shane (Smeltz), but that will give us the opportunity to use players like Golgol (Mebrahtu), Tahj (Minniecon), Ben Halloran and Steven Lustica, etc.

"We'll be taking a 20-man squad with us which will include five young players to cover for the few seniors who are carrying minor injuries. The idea is that everyone will play some part in one or both of the games so it's a good opportunity for us to see how the youngsters respond.

"Pre-season has been pretty tough for the players so far and they have been working hard. They look sharp and these games have come at just the right time.

"We might not be able to play at full tempo for the whole 90 minutes just yet, but maybe one half at top speed and the other playing more cautiously with a few substitutions, etc.

"It's also a good team bonding exercise because we will be there for eight days and it's an enjoyable place to have a training camp with good weather and good facilities."