Matildas fans may not have to wait long to see them again in a major tournament with Football Australia to duke it out with Saudi Arabia for rights to the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup
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Football Australia hopes the Matildas’ exploits at the Women’s World Cup can put the country in line to beat rising powerhouse Saudi Arabia for hosting rights to the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup.
Football Australia CEO James Johnson has indicated he intends to bid for the 2034 FIFA Men’s World Cup down under, but is also targeting more exposure for the women’s national team.
After the Matildas were knocked out by England in the semi-final of their home tournament on Wednesday, the FA will now focus on bringing further competitions to Australian shores.
James Johnson’s organization has been ambitious in their bid to host the 2034 Men’s World Cup and the revamped 2029 Club World Cup.
Aussies could soon have another chance to cheer for the Matildas on home soil with Football Australia to bid for the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup
Millions of passionate Aussie fans turned out to support the Matildas at games and live sites across Australia, while viewership on the broadcast reached record numbers
But the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup looms as a much more viable proposition for the FA, following record numbers and viewing figures at this year’s World Cup.
“(A successful bid) would extend this window for major growth in the Australian game, which is really getting a boost from the women’s game,” Johnson told AAP.
“There’s a lot of logic to that bid, it’s calculated because women’s football is growing fast around the world and in Australia in particular.
“We have seen the success of the Matildas at this World Cup and we know that when we hosted the Asian Cup in 2015 it was a great success.
“We’re taking it seriously and we’re working with state and federal governments to make sure we have the right support to get that across the line.”
Johnson will not only have to convince politicians to make the dream come true, he will also face stiff opposition within the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
The Matildas showed that top-tier women’s football had a huge fan base in Australia as they progressed to their first semi-final of the Women’s World Cup.
James Johnson speaks with Matildas head coach Tony Gustavsson after their heartbreaking semi-final defeat
Uzbekistan has officially expressed interest, as have the Saudis, positioning themselves as a major player in world football.
The oil-rich state bought Premier League club Newcastle United in 2021 and has managed to lure the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and Neymar to the top.
However, the Saudi Arabia women’s national team only played their first FIFA-sanctioned match in February last year.
“They’ve had remarkable growth and the administration there is doing great things,” Johnson said.
“Our competitive advantage is twofold: we can put our money where our mouth is by hosting the best Women’s World Cup ever – we’re a safe pair of hands and a gamble.
“There is clearly a link between the success of a match and the performance of the hosts and the Matildas are a top global team that will do very well in the Asian Cup.”