Matildas fans may not have to wait long to see her again at a major tournament with Football Australia, where they will battle with Saudi Arabia for rights to the 2026 Asian Women’s Cup
Matildas fans may not have to wait long to see her again at a major tournament with Football Australia, where they will battle with Saudi Arabia for rights to the 2026 Asian Women’s Cup
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Football Australia hopes the Matildas’ performances at the Women’s World Cup can put the nation in the box seat to beat rising superpower Saudi Arabia for hosting rights to the 2026 Asia Women’s Championship.
Football Australia chief executive James Johnson has announced his intention to bid for the FIFA Men’s World Cup 2034 Down Under, but is also aiming for a stronger presence for the women’s national team.
After the Matildas were eliminated by England in the semi-finals of their home tournament on Wednesday, FA will now focus on moving more competitions to Australia.
James Johnson’s organization were ambitious in their desire to bid to host the Men’s World Cup in 2034 and the redesigned Club World Cup in 2029.
Australia could soon get another chance to cheer for the Matildas on home soil as Football Australia bids for the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup
Millions of passionate Australian fans turned out to support the Matildas at games and live performances across Australia, while broadcast viewership hit record numbers
But the Women’s Asia Cup in 2026 seems a far more achievable proposition for the FA after record-breaking attendances and attendance at this year’s World Cup.
‘[A successful bid] “I would extend that window of opportunity for big growth in Australian football, which is really fueled by women’s football,” Johnson told AAP.
“There’s a lot of logic in this bid, it’s calculated because women’s football is growing fast around the world and especially in Australia.”
“We have seen the success of the Matildas at this World Cup and know that hosting the 2015 Asian Cup was a great success.”
“We take it seriously and are working with state and federal governments to ensure we have the right support to get there.”
Not only will Johnson have to convince politicians to make his dream a reality, he will also face stiff opposition within the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
The Matildas showed that top-flight women’s football in Australia has a huge following as they reached the semi-finals of a Women’s World Cup for the first time
James Johnson speaks to Matilda’s head coach Tony Gustavsson after heartbreaking semi-final defeat
Uzbekistan have officially expressed interest, as have the Saudis, who are positioning themselves as key players in world football.
The oil-rich state bought Premier League club Newcastle United in 2021 and has managed to attract the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and Neymar to the top flight.
However, the women’s national team of Saudi Arabia only played their first FIFA-sanctioned match in February last year.
“They’ve had remarkable growth and the administration there is doing a great job,” Johnson said.
“Our competitive advantage is twofold: We can walk the talk by hosting the best Women’s World Cup ever – we’re a safe pair and a safe bet.”
“There is obviously a correlation between the success of a competition and the performance of the hosts and the Matildas are a top global team who will do very well at the Asian Cup.”