Lyla Lindsey
Women's football in Australia has grown significantly in popularity over the last century. The first official women's football match on record took place in Brisbane in 1921, attracting a crowd of 10,000 spectators. Despite this early interest, the sport failed to gain momentum, and women's football was even banned in some states in 1922 for 'medical and aesthetic' reasons. However, women's football has since experienced a resurgence, with the Australian Women's Soccer Association (AWSA) formed in 1974 and the national team, nicknamed the Matildas, competing on the world stage. Australia and New Zealand co-hosted the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023, and the Matildas' performance attracted significant nationwide attention, impacting the perception of women's sports in Australia. With growing participation rates and a talented national team, women's football in Australia is on an upward trajectory.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Status of women's football in Australia | One of the fastest-growing sports in the country, with a 21% increase in participation in 2022 compared to 2021 |
| Historical milestones | The first official women's football match in Australia took place in Brisbane in 1921, attracting 10,000 spectators. However, the sport faced challenges with some states banning women from playing for 'medical and aesthetic' reasons in 1922. |
| National team | Nicknamed "the Matildas" (derived from the Australian folk song "Waltzing Matilda"), the national team has represented Australia at the FIFA Women's World Cup eight times and the Olympic Games five times. |
| Recent popularity | Co-hosting the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup with New Zealand, the Matildas gained significant nationwide attention and impacted the perception of women's sports in Australia. |
| Performance in 2023 World Cup | The Matildas finished second in their group, with a notable 4-1 win over Jamaica, becoming the first Australian player, male or female, to score a hat-trick in a World Cup. |
| Participation base | Women make up 22% of Australia's football participation base, with players from over 150 nations. Football Australia aims for a 50% gender participation split by 2027. |
| Competitions | The AFL Women's (AFLW) competition is one of the world's most popular women's football leagues, attracting over a million attendees and two million viewers. |
| Historical challenges | Women's football in Australia faced challenges, including limited resources, lack of financial support, and sexist attitudes in the media. |
| Recent developments | The 2023 World Cup and the Matildas' performance have generated interest and enthusiasm for women's football in Australia, with global superstar Sam Kerr as captain. |
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What You'll Learn
The Matildas: Australia's national team
The Matildas, officially known as the CommBank Matildas for sponsorship reasons, is the nickname of Australia's national women's football team. The name is derived from the Australian folk song "Waltzing Matilda". Before 1995, the team was known as the "Female Socceroos".
The team is overseen by the governing body for football in Australia, Football Australia, which is a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Australia has won the OFC championship three times, the AFC championship once, and the AFF championship once.
The Matildas have represented Australia at the FIFA Women's World Cup eight times, including as co-hosts in 2023, and at the Olympic Games five times. Their performance in the 2023 World Cup attracted significant nationwide attention and impacted the perception of women's sports in Australia.
The team has worn a combination of green and gold as their "home" colours since 2004, reflecting the national colours of Australia. Their kits have been manufactured by Nike, with the company producing specific women's national team kits since 2019.
The Matildas have had several notable coaches and achievements throughout their history. Scottish-born Tom Sermanni, who coached the team between 1994 and 1997, led them to their first FIFA Women's World Cup qualification in 1995. In 2006, Australia moved to the Asian Football Confederation and hosted the AFC Women's Asian Cup. During this tournament, the Matildas finished second in their group and defeated tournament favourites Japan in the semi-finals, qualifying for the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup.
The Matildas continue to strive for success and work towards future tournaments, including the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026.
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The 2023 World Cup
The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup was a landmark event in the history of women's football. It was the ninth edition of the tournament, which takes place every four years, and the first to be hosted by two countries: Australia and New Zealand. This made it the first FIFA senior competition to be held across two confederations, with Australia in the Asian confederation and New Zealand in the Oceanian confederation. It was also the first World Cup to be held in the Southern Hemisphere and the third to take place in the Asia-Pacific region.
The tournament ran from 20 July to 20 August 2023 and featured an expanded format of 32 teams, up from 24 in previous editions. This expansion began with the 2015 edition, which set an attendance record for all FIFA competitions except the men's World Cup. The 2023 tournament built on this success, generating $570 million in revenue. It was also the first World Cup to have dedicated base camps for all 32 participating nations.
The opening match was won by co-host New Zealand, who beat Norway 1-0 at Eden Park in Auckland, achieving their first-ever Women's World Cup victory. Australia, also known as the Matildas, finished second in their group after a notable comeback from a 2-0 deficit against Brazil, ending with a 4-1 win over Jamaica. Sam Kerr made history in this match, becoming the first Australian player, male or female, to score a hat-trick at a World Cup tournament. Australia then faced Norway in the round of sixteen, drawing 1-1 after extra time and ultimately losing the penalty shootout 4-1.
The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup final was played between Spain and England, with Spain winning their first-ever title with a 1-0 victory. This made Spain the second nation, after Germany, to win both the Men's and Women's World Cup. The tournament attracted significant nationwide attention in Australia and positively impacted the perception of women's sports in the country.
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The Australian Women's Soccer Association
The AWSA administered and developed the women's game in Australia for almost 30 years before being absorbed into the Australian Soccer Association in 2003. The national body then became the Football Federation of Australia in 2004. The 1975 AFC Women's Championship was the first international tournament in which a representative Australian team competed. The team was primarily made up of players from the St George Budapest club in New South Wales, with some debate over whether a national selection process was conducted.
The AWSA oversaw a period of expansion for the women's game in Australia. The National Women's Championships, which began in 1974, expanded to include Junior (1983) and Youth (1985) divisions. In 1978, Australia competed in the inaugural Women's World Invitational Tournament in Taipei, Taiwan. The team was coached by Jim Selby and featured players from New South Wales, West Australia, Victoria, and Queensland.
The Australian women's national football team, nicknamed the Matildas, has represented Australia at the FIFA Women's World Cup eight times, including as co-hosts in 2023. The Matildas also represented Australia at the Olympic Games on five occasions. The team's performance in the 2023 World Cup attracted significant nationwide attention and impacted the perception of women's sports in Australia.
Women's football in Australia has experienced "'incredible growth'" in recent years. It is currently one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, with a 21% increase in participation in 2022 compared to the previous year. However, the domestic game has struggled to capitalise on the Matildas' success, with low attendance figures for local league matches.
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The growth of the sport
Women's football in Australia has grown significantly over the past century. The first recorded Australian women's football match took place in Brisbane in 1921, attracting a crowd of around 10,000 spectators. However, the sport failed to gain momentum, and in 1922, some states banned women from playing organised matches for 'medical and aesthetic' reasons. Despite these setbacks, women continued to play in local club and social games, and in 1931, a match between women's teams from Oakleigh and Carnegie Football clubs was staged in front of a large crowd in Melbourne.
The Australian Women's Soccer Association (AWSA) was founded in 1974, and a representative Australian team competed at the 1975 AFC Women's Championship. This team, known as the First Matildas, raised their own funds to travel and finished third in the competition, securing victories over Singapore and Malaysia. The 1970s saw the development of the sport, largely due to the efforts of Pat O'Connor, who successfully campaigned for a national competition. The National Women's Championships were born, consisting of teams from five states.
The game expanded in the 1980s and into the mid-90s, with the Australian team qualifying for their first FIFA World Cup. In 2003, the AWSA was absorbed into the Australian Soccer Association, which became the Football Federation of Australia in 2004. In 2006, Australia hosted its first Asian Football Confederation tournament, the AFC Women's Cup of Nations. The Matildas, as the national team is nicknamed, reached the final, losing to China PR on penalties.
In 2017, the Australian Football League (AFL) took control of women's Australian rules football with the intention of professionalising the sport. The AFL Women's (AFLW) competition commenced, attracting a large audience and becoming one of the most popular women's football competitions worldwide. In 2022, all 18 AFL clubs fielded women's teams, and the AFLW maintained its high levels of interest despite moving to a primarily ticketed and subscription broadcasting model.
The Matildas continued to gain recognition and success, co-hosting the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023 with New Zealand. Their performance in the tournament attracted significant nationwide attention and positively impacted the perception of women's sports in Australia. According to Football Australia, participation in women's football in 2022 was up by 21% from the previous year. While the domestic game has struggled to capitalise on this success, women's football in Australia is undoubtedly one of the fastest-growing sports in the country.
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Football Australia's Gender Equality Action Plan
The history of women's football in Australia dates back to the founding of the Australian Women's Soccer Association (AWSA) in 1974. The AWSA administered and developed the women's game for almost 30 years before merging with the Australian Soccer Association in 2003. In 2004, the Australian Soccer Association became the Football Federation of Australia (FFA), now known as Football Australia.
In 2013, the FFA launched its first Women's Football Strategy for 2014-2016, aiming to establish football as the most appealing and successful women's sport in Australia. Despite this ambition, there were no targets set for increasing the number of women in senior administrative roles. The subsequent strategies for 2016-2019 and the legacy plan for 'Leveraging WWC Bid 2023 for Football and Gender Equality' also lacked reporting requirements, targets, or quotas for gender equality.
It was only when the international federation for football, FIFA, threatened to withdraw its recognition that significant structural changes were made. The Congress Review Working Group was established, leading to mandated gender equality measures. One such measure is the 40:40:20 strategy, which aims for 40% women, 40% men, and 20% of any gender in leadership positions.
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Frequently asked questions
Women's football is currently one of the fastest-growing sports in Australia. In 2022, participation in the sport increased by 21% from the previous year. The Australian national team, nicknamed the Matildas, has also gained significant nationwide attention.
The first official women's football match on record took place in Brisbane in 1921 between North Brisbane and South Brisbane, attracting a crowd of around 10,000 spectators. However, the sport failed to gain momentum, and in 1922, some states banned women from playing organised matches for 'medical and aesthetic' reasons. The Australian Women's Soccer Association (AWSA) was founded in 1974, and a representative Australian team competed at the 1975 AFC Women's Championship. The team was officially recognised in May 2023, with all 16 squad members awarded caps.
The Matildas, Australia's national team, has struggled to capitalise on their recent success and popularity. The domestic league lacks support, and many Matildas players compete overseas rather than in Australia. More funding is needed to develop women's coaching and improve the game outside major cities.
Football Australia has implemented a Gender Equality Action Plan, aiming for a 50% gender participation split by 2027. Australia co-hosted the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, which is expected to boost the popularity of the sport.
