New format to decide Asia’s Women’s Olympic qualifiers

Staff Writer

The battle for the final two spots to join hosts and reigning Asian champions Japan, at the Women’s Football Tournament at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 will be decided in a new and innovative qualifying tournament.

The Continent’s remaining women’s sides will learn their fate in the Asian Qualifiers Final Round Draw at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The revamped qualifying format for the 2020 edition will see the eight remaining teams divided into two groups, with the top two sides advancing to the two-legged play-offs to decide the final two Asian qualifiers.

This will give the Continent’s elite teams the opportunity to play their most significant matches in front of their home fans.

After two qualifying rounds of captivating action, the initial cast of 18 was whittled down to three with Myanmar, Vietnam and Chinese Taipei joining Australia, China PR, DPR Korea, Korea Republic and Thailand who reached the final round automatically as the highest ranked teams during the first round of qualifiers.

Following the outcome of the latest FIFA Ranking released on September 27, 2019, the Continent’s top-ranked sides Australia and DPR Korea will be placed in Pot 1, joint hosts for the final round, China PR and Korea Republic are in Pot 2, followed by Vietnam and Thailand in Pot 3 and Chinese Taipei and Myanmar confirming their places in the final pot.

The Asian Qualifiers Final Round will take place from February 3 to 9, 2020 with the two-legged play-off scheduled to take place on March 6 and 11, 2020.

Football at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will commence with the women’s matches on July 22 – two days before the Games’ official opening ceremony – with the men’s competition to begin on July 23. The 12-team women’s tournament will conclude on August 7, with the men’s tournament to conclude the following day.

Asian teams have established a long and proud tradition at the Olympic Games, with China PR (1996) and Japan (2012) winning silver in the women’s tournament, while Japan (1968) and Korea Republic (2012) clinched the bronze medals in the men’s competition.

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Isabella Mossin awarded Ninja A-League Women Referee of the Year

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Image credit: Football NSW

The youngest recipient since its inception, Mossin will officially receive the award after leading the Ninja A-League Grand Final 2026 on Saturday.

 

A rapid rise

After debuting in 2023, Mossin has quickly proved quality, composure and confidence as a referee in the Ninja A-League.

As a result of the achievement, Mossin will be the appointed referee for this weekend’s Grand Final between Melbourne City FC and Wellington Phoenix.

After beginning in the North West Sydney Football Association, Mossin then honed her craft with the Football NSW Referee Academy, a journey with foundations truly embedded in youth development and grassroots football.

Thus, Mossin is not just am individual success story, but a symbol of what institutional investment and opportunities can do for young women looking for a pathway to the game.

 

Celebrating success

The plaudits, unsurprisngly, are arriving from across Australia’s football landscape, with many emphasising the incredible standards set by Mossin since her debut just three years ago.

“This award is testament to Isabella’s hard work and dedication to refereeing, and a great reflection of the next generation of referees coming through the system in Australia,” said A-Leagues CEO, Steve Rosich.

“At just 25 years of age, she has consistently demonstrated composure, leadership, strong decision-making and the ability to perform under pressure in some of the biggest matches in the competition,” highlighted Football Australia Head of Referees, Jon Moss.

“Having someone refereeing their first Ninja A-league Women’s Grand Final at the age of 25 years should inspire all girls and young women referees (and potential referees) and show them that age is not a barrier to talent being recognised within Football Australia refereeing,” said Chair of Football Australia Referee Committee, David Elleray.

Given Mossin’s reputation and experience already at the top level of women’s football in Australia, there is no doubt that she will rise to the occasion this Saturday.

Canada Soccer to begin new National Training Centre project

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Image credit: ACHPF / Shutterstock.com

Backed by the Government of Canada with an investment worth nearly AUD 10 million ($9,826,000), the project aims to establish a world-class facility for athletes, coaches and communities.

Building the sport and community

The investment comes as part of the Build Communities Strong Fund (BCSF), an ambitious program of the Government of Canada which will provide AUD 51 billion ($51 billion) to infrastructure projects over 10 years.

However, the Canada Soccer Training Centre is one key project which will benefit from such substantial investment. But the project isn’t just for future players – it will help boost economic activity and create a facility built for excellence and growth.

“It is about creating a world-class sport facility where athletes can train and represent Canada at their best,” explained Secretary of State (Sport), Honourable Adam van Koeverden, via press release.

“From the playground to the podium, it is projects like this that provide athletes, coaches, local families and communities with vibrant, accessible spaces to fuel participation, connection, and a growing passion for sport.”

President of Canada Soccer, Peter Auguros, further expressed his gratitude for the investment and what it could bring future generations.

“This support reflects a shared belief in the power of sport to strengthen communities and develop the next generation of Canadian talent. We are proud to partner in building infrastructure that will benefit our athletes and help shape the future of the sport in Canada.”

 

Growth gains momentum

With the FIFA World Cup 2026 set to kick off in a few short weeks, Canada Soccer’s plan for a National Training Centre Project is symbolic of long-term vision.

The tournament is not a final flourish, but a stepping stone to accelerated growth.

And this is not a short-term setup.

As President of Concacaf and Vice-Preisdent of FIFA, Victori Montagliani explained, this is a project designed to survive for generations.

“The development of a National Training Centre in Canada represents an important legacy project for the country and it is always a positive sign when our members invest in infrastructure across the region.”

 

Final thoughts

The project, therefore, perfectly aligns a growing buzz for football across the region with intentional investment and ambition.

And although the action must eventually stop on the pitch, Canada Soccer are ensuring that growth continues long after the tournament’s final whistle.

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