Matildas did the nation proud but this may just be the beginning

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The Matildas ended their Olympic campaign in fourth place last night, after losing 4-3 to the USA in the Bronze medal match.

Overall, this is the best result the Matildas have achieved at the Olympics in their history, surpassing their 5th place finish at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

In the warm up matches in the build-up to the tournament under new coach Tony Gustavsson, the Matildas were shaky to say the least.

A 5-2 loss to Germany, followed by a 5-0 loss to the Netherlands, led to many questioning the resolve of the team before kicking a ball at the Olympic Games.

Gustavsson and his squad of players didn’t panic however, and when the Matildas’ Olympic campaign officially begun, they opened with a 2-1 win over New Zealand.

An entertaining 4-2 loss to Sweden was followed by a gritty 0-0 draw with the USA which allowed the Australian side to progress to a quarter final match up against Great Britain.

A 4-3 victory over Great Britain in the quarter final, in a game which showcased their ‘never say die’ attitude was the clear high point of the tournament for the Matildas.

Australians in their droves tuned into to every Matildas match, with their eventual 1-0 loss to Sweden in the semi final watched by an average audience of over 1.8 million and thousands more streaming the game on 7Plus.

Figures such as this highlight how the team has become one of Australia’s most loved sporting teams, with the country heartbroken yet proud of their efforts.

The Matildas are undoubtedly ‘box office’ but their Olympic exploits are just the beginning of a big couple of years to come for Tony Gustavsson’s side.

The team are set to compete in the 2022 Asian Cup in India in the coming months, looking to go one step better this time after losing in the final in 2018 to Japan.

The tournament in India is a chance for this group of players to win their first Asian Cup since 2010, but will also give the side more competitive tournament minutes before the big one, a home Women’s World Cup in 2023.

The Women’s World Cup in 2023 will be the biggest event held on Australian shores since the 2000 Olympics, and economically it will be a major boost for the country after the significant hit it has taken due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2019 Women’s World Cup, which was hosted by France, made an estimated $461 million GDP contribution to the host nation.

Tom Rischbieth, Football Australia’s head of commercial and events, believes the 2023 event will produce similar benefits economically.

“Yes, it will deliver amazing football matches but also substantial benefits socially and economically. We know from a tourism perspective 60,000 international visitors are predicted for the tournament equating to 600,000 bed nights and the numbers just keep growing, an estimated 5,000 jobs will also be created, it is a huge opportunity and one that we realise the benefits of,” Rischbieth said recently at a SportsPro APAC Series event.

The organisers of the tournament believe the 2023 competition is on track to sell 1.5 million tickets, which will break records for the women’s game.

“We know in France, over a million fans attended the 52 matches. And we now know that we’re going to have 64 matches in 2023. The ten stadiums that have been confirmed range from boutique to mega size, so we’re definitely on track,” Jane Fernandez, Chief Operating Officer (Australia) for the FIFA WWC 2023 said at the SportsPro event.

Football Australia have heavily focused on the legacy the tournament will have on the game here, including factors such as participation, facilities and improving region relations, but a strong Matildas outfit at the tournament is of vital importance.

With their impressive showings at the Olympic Games, fans of the Matildas should see the further development of players before the World Cup, including highly talented youngsters like Mary Fowler, Ellie Carpenter and Kyra Cooney-Cross.

With a right blend of these youngsters and world class players in their prime, there is no reason why the Matildas can’t seriously challenge to win the World Cup on home soil.

The hype around hosting the World Cup in two years’ time has not yet set in for most Australians, with many not understanding the magnitude of the event.

When the tournament does finally roll around however, the world will be watching, with many millions of Australians hoping to see our golden girls once again give them something to be proud of.

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From Broadcast to Betting: Where Australian Football Sits in a $417 Billion Sports Economy

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Image Credit: ESPN

The global sports industry is now worth an estimated $417 billion, but the headline figure only tells part of the story. Beneath it lies a more significant shift that reveals not just how much money sport generates, but where that money is actually coming from?

Globally, the traditional foundations of football’s business model are being overtaken. Sports betting alone accounts for $133 billion, meaning nearly one in every three dollars in the industry is now driven by wagering rather than watching.

For a sport historically built on attendance, broadcast and sponsorship, this marks a profound transformation.

 

The Rise of Participation Over Viewership

The fastest-growing segment of the global market, which is valued at $177 billion, is now the “gaming” ecosystem: betting, fantasy sports and video games. What unites these platforms is simple: they turn fans from passive viewers into active participants.

This is the new sports economy. Engagement is no longer confined to the 90 minutes on the pitch. Instead, it is continuous, interactive and, most importantly, monetisable.

For football, the opportunity is enormous. But so too is the risk. As betting becomes the dominant financial driver, the sport must confront difficult questions around integrity, regulation and long-term dependence on gambling-linked revenue.

 

A Global Boom, A Local Reality

While the global industry surges ahead, Australian football presents a more complex picture.

The A-Leagues’ current broadcast deal, reportedly worth around $200 million over five years, is modest when compared to the $61 billion global media rights market. It highlights the gap between Australia and football’s major commercial powerhouses — it also underscores the importance of maximising every available revenue stream.

At the same time, there are clear signs of growth.

The rise of the Matildas has transformed the commercial landscape, with the national team now widely viewed as a central revenue driver through sponsorship, broadcast and matchday demand. Record-breaking audiences — including 2.73 million viewers nationally for key fixtures — demonstrate football’s expanding cultural footprint.

Streaming, too, is reshaping the game locally. Football viewership on Paramount+ has surged by 138%, while the sport has reached nearly 10 million Australians over a 12-month period. These figures mirror the global trend away from traditional television toward digital platforms.

 

The Disconnect Between Growth and Revenue

Yet, despite rising audiences and renewed interest, financial stability remains a challenge.

The A-Leagues have faced ongoing pressures — from declining distributions to structural reform — revealing a critical tension at the heart of Australian football:

Attention is growing, but revenue is not keeping pace.

This disconnect reflects a broader structural issue. While global sport is rapidly monetising digital and interactive engagement, Australian football is still heavily reliant on more traditional income streams.

 

Why the Global Shift Matters

The implications of the global $417 billion market are clear.

The IP monetisation pillar ($154 billion), which encompasses media rights, sponsorship, merchandise and matchday, remains vital. But it is no longer enough on its own.

Meanwhile, broadcasting and streaming ($86 billion) is fragmenting. Pay TV still dominates, but streaming is rising fast, changing not just how fans watch football, but how value is captured.

Above all, the dominance of the gaming segment signals a new reality:

The future of sport lies in participation, not just consumption.

 

A Defining Moment for Australian Football

For Australian football, the challenge is not simply to grow — it is to align with where the global industry is heading.

That means:

  • Building stronger digital ecosystems
  • Leveraging data and fan engagement tools
  • Exploring new commercial models beyond traditional broadcast deals

Because while the global sports market is projected to reach $602 billion by 2030, that growth will not be evenly distributed.

It will favour the sports and leagues that can successfully integrate into a landscape defined by interactivity, personalisation and constant engagement.

 

More Than a Game

Football in Australia is not short on momentum. Participation is rising, the Matildas have captured national attention, and audiences are increasingly engaged.

But in a $417 billion global industry, momentum alone is not enough.

The question is no longer whether football can grow.

It is whether it can evolve fast enough to capture its share of where the money is going.

AFC Women’s Asian Cup: How do we sustain growth and success?

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Image credit: Football Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe)

This year’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 was not just another tournament. It was a momentum shift for women’s football in Australia. Match quality, crowd numbers and national pride have never been higher – but how do we ensure this success continues after the final whistle?

Financial input and output

Ahead of the tournament, the Australian Government demonstrated their support and commitment through a $15 million investment.

With such significant financial backing behind the Matildas’ pursuit of victory on home soil, the tournament seemed poised to be hugely successful – and it didn’t disappoint.

Projections point towards an overall revenue of over $250 million, with over 24,000 international visitors and 1000 jobs created. It proves that when money is invested into the women’s game, the rewards on and off the pitch are undeniable.

Federal Minister for Sport, Anika Wells, was present at the official announcement of the Australian Government’s funding boost.

“The Tillies and the 2023 Women’s World Cup redefined Australian sport and now the Albanese Government is backing the Matildas again with a $15 million investment for the Women’s Asian Cup,” said Wells.

“Women’s sport is not nice to have or a phase, it is brilliant, nation-stopping, and here to stay.”

With huge revenue numbers and contributions to local economies, this year’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup has demonstrated the financial power and potential of the Matildas, and ultimately of women’s football across Australia.

Attendance numbers skyrocket

Beyond finances, however, the standout factor throughout the tournament was the record-breaking crowd sizes.

60,279 fans packed into Stadium Australia in Sydney to witness an entertaining 3-3 draw between the Matildas and South Korea, a huge number which was later smashed by Saturday’s final attendance of 74,397.

However, support wasn’t exclusive to the Matildas. At Japan’s semi-final demolition of South Korea, a 17,367 crowd set a record for the highest attendance at a Women’s Asian Cup match between two visiting teams.

Although skeptics will highlight that many games failed to sell out, the crowds attracted during this year’s tournament highlight two decades of immense growth. In 2006, the final brought in little more than 5000 people.

In fact, with 250,000 attendees over three weeks, and ticket sales increasing five-fold from the previous record, the proof of a nationwide buzz is there for all to see.

But creating a buzz is not enough. We must act on it, and sustain it, if we want to see true, long-term development.

 

Avoiding past mistakes

Following the excitement of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, women’s football in Australia looked set to launch into a new era of development and expansion.

Although female participation increased in New South Wales by 31% between 2022 and 2025, attendance numbers at ALW matches fell by 26% between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. The ‘buzz’ – without genuine commitment or backing to sustain it – wore off far too quickly.

This year’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup was a second chance for Australia’s football industry to correct its past mistakes, and ensure that state federations, governments and teams align in their commitment to growing the ALW and women’s football as a whole.

Furthermore, given the on-pitch prowess and off-pitch success over the past few weeks, the Asian Cup could play a major role going forward. It may yet be the catalyst, the long-awaited springboard that can propel women’s football to new heights in years to come, both on the international stage and within Australia.

 

How do we prolong the buzz?

So, while the success of the Asian Cup can encourage important discussions, the key is to inspire stakeholders and decision makers into taking real action.

On Saturday, Football Australia expressed their commitment to progressing the women’s game in NSW after the tournament ends. Joined by Football NSW and Northern NSW Football, they called upon the NSW government to address facility imbalances over the next decade.

“The growth of women’s football in New South Wales is not a short-term trend – it represents a fundamental shift in participation and expectation across our communities. To sustain this momentum, we must invest in infrastructure that is inclusive, accessible and fit for purpose, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to play, develop and thrive in the game,” said Football NSW CEO, John Tsatsimas.

“We call on the government to invest in the largest participation sport in NSW to bridge the growing facilities gap in NSW which will deliver economic and social long-term benefits through connected communities.”

To this end, a proposed NSW AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 Legacy Fund – worth $343 million over a ten-year period – would address several issues at grassroots level. These include:

  • Delivering upgraded community facilities to accommodate growing participation numbers among women and girls
  • Improving accessibility, safety and playing capacity across metro, regional and remote communities
  • Supporting multi-use and multi-sport facilities
  • Strengthening pathways for women and girls across all age groups
  • Continuing the legacy of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026

Should this fund be implemented in NSW over the next ten years, fans and players within the women’s game will be at the heart of a major, long-overdue realignment.

Final thoughts

Despite the bitter disappointment of losing in the final on home soil, there is nevertheless an important reminder to take away: we can’t control results on the field, but we can control intent, attitude and commitment off it.

The AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 was a huge success for women’s football in Australia. Matches were of extremely high quality, crowd numbers smashed tournament records, and the nation was united in their support for one of Australia’s most popular sporting outfits.

There may not be silverware to show for it, but the past few weeks have provided something far greater: recognition, respect and a platform to continue growing long after the final whistle. The demand is undeniable, participation and interest is soaring, and the voice of the women’s game can no longer be ignored.

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