Midfielder Gui Finkler is flying to Brazil to meet his newborn daughter, ruling him out of the Wellington Phoenix's next two A-League games.
Finkler will miss Saturday's home match against Melbourne City and the fixture away to the Brisbane Roar a week later.
He is returning to his native Brazil to be with wife Karine and their first daughter Rafaela.
Finkler, 31, had planned to attend the birth but Rafaela arrived early.
He will return to New Zealand for the clash against the Perth Glory in Auckland on March 4.
Former Melbourne Victory playmaker Finkler has played 18 of 19 games this season, scoring two goals and registering a lone assist.
He has come off the bench in the last two games for the eighth-placed Phoenix, both ending in 3-1 losses to Western Sydney and Sydney FC.