With memories of the record-breaking Women’s World Cup fading, the Matildas are back on home soil this week for a crucial Olympic qualifying tournament in Perth, where they have already given a reminder of their pulling power. The three matches over the course of the next week – against Iran, the Philippines and Taiwan – quickly sold out the 20,000-capacity HBF Park, prompting a shift of one of the fixtures to the far larger Optus Stadium, which is now also sold out.
Matildas fever is being felt in Western Australia less than three months after the Matildas’ stellar tournament ended in defeat to Sweden in the third-place playoff, with players having travelled from their clubs – mostly in the northern hemisphere – for the second round of Asian qualifying for the 2024 Paris Games. Coach Tony Gustavsson has made it clear that improving on their fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics is the team’s next goal.
