Matildas v Sweden: Fans out in force in Brisbane to farewell our heroes

It’s the long kiss goodbye to a Queensland love affair with the Matildas and the fans are out in force in Brisbane, both at Suncorp Stadium and the city’s live sites.

It’s the long kiss goodbye to a Queensland love affair with the Matildas.

The team’s incredible FIFA women’s World Cup journey comes to its conclusion at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night in the playoff for third place against Sweden.

The match was sold out weeks ago, long before the opponents were even decided, but the presence of the Matildas has made it extra special for football fans to farewell the team that has captivated Queensland – and the nation, through the highs and lows of an unforgettable World Cup campaign.

The Matildas will be given the keys to the city on Sunday, but they already have the keys to Queensland’s collective heart.

Crowds on Caxton Street ahead of the FIFA Women's World Cup match between Australia and Sweden in Brisbane. Picture: Richard Walker

The team – featuring an incredible 10 Queenslanders, used Brisbane as an official base camp during the World Cup and Saturday night’s clash is their third Suncorp Stadium match in three weeks following a shock loss to Nigeria and the epic penalty shootout win over France in the quarter-finals which will go down in history as one of the greatest moments in Australian sport.

The energy around Brisbane in the build-up to kick-off was different to that historic occasion, with fans more relaxed than nervous as they made their way to the stadium and live sites scattered across the city.

Fans gather at the South Bank live site about 4.30pm. Picture: Rose Innes

This is a celebration of soccer – football to the purists, women’s sport and the Aussie pride from staging what has already been lauded as the best women’s World Cup in history.

Brisbane has been at the forefront, with more than 350,000 fans of all ages attending the city’s eight World Cup matches.

All three of Australia’s World Cup games in Brisbane have been sellouts, igniting a turbocharged economic boost for the famous Caxton Street and bars, restaurants and hotels across the city.

Tourism officials, who had estimated a $30 million boost to the city from the World Cup, are already revising those numbers, with the final figure likely to be more than double that.

It led Caxton Street Development Association boss Sarosh Mehta to call for the Matildas to be given the keys to Caxton Street, before Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner went one better and pledged to hand them the keys to the city in a special celebration at Riverstage on Sunday morning.

But first there is one more piece of business.

Crowds started piling into Caxton Street and other live sites from midafternoon, though not in the huge volumes of earlier matches.

Most were in green and gold, though there was a healthy dose of yellow and blue for the Swedes, who brought flags, face paint and the odd Viking helmet.

Sean Ralph captured the vibe of the occasion on a gorgeous springlike day with a Matildas Hawaiian shirt.

Going to the game with his wife and two soccer-playing daughters, he said it was amazing to see the way the tournament had been embraced by the public.

Andrew Bartzis took his family to the game just days after a wild last-minute trip to Sydney after securing tickets to the heartbreaking Matildas’ semi-final loss on Wednesday.

Crowds heading down Caxton Street ahead of the FIFA Women's World Cup match between Australia and Sweden in Brisbane, Saturday, August 19, 2023 - Picture: Richard Walker

Coaching his daughter Zoe’s Under 8s team, he said the Matildas and the World Cup had transformed the sporting landscape.

“It’s fantastic,” he said.

“I’m a long-time soccer fan and I’ve always wanted to see it raise its profile but I didn’t expect anything like what has transpired.”

Zoe spent the morning doing her best impression of Aussie goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold at junior soccer, but Sam Kerr is her favourite player – right down to the bright pink shoes she wore to the game.

Marten Karlsson was with the throngs of Swedes and Swaussies – Aussies of Swedish heritage, enjoying a drink before the game on Caxton Street.

Growing up in soccer-mad Sweden before marrying an Australian wife and moving to Brisbane, he said he never expected the world game to be so embraced as it has been in this tournament.

Crowds heading down Caxton Street ahead of the FIFA Women's World Cup match between Australia and Sweden in Brisbane, Saturday, August 19, 2023 - Picture: Richard Walker

“It’s been amazing to see,” he said.

“Not just for the World Cup, but for women’s sport in general.”

The South Bank live site kicked off with face painting, live music, food trucks and tonnes of fans to before the game kicked off.

Kerry Grubb said what the Matildas had done for women’s sport was “just incredible.”

“We are here to celebrate just how far they have come – go the Matildas,” she said.

Fan Fiona Hallam said she was in Brisbane to support the Matildas from Toowoomba.

“We are really happy to be here,” she said.

“We need more money poured into not only women’s football but women’s sport,” she said

England and Spain clash in the World Cup Final on Sunday night in Sydney.

The South Bank live site kicked off with face painting, live music and food trucks.

Young football player Charli Ryan, 13, said she was a bit nervous but also excited.

“I’m really happy and I think it’s really cool to see how they’ve progressed even as a team,” she said.

“Even when I was little people didn’t really recognise them (the Matildas) but now a lot of people are hugely supporting them.”

Fan Lysi Grubb said she hoped they’d win, but just how far they made it was amazing.

Mother Kerry said what the Matildas had done for women’s sport was “just incredible.”

“We will be cheering loud,” she said.

“We are here to celebrate just how far they have come – go the Matildas.”

Fan Fiona Hallam said she was in Brisbane to support the Matildas from Toowoomba.

“We are really happy to be here,” she said.

“We need more money poured into not only women’s football but women’s sport,” she said.

Ms Hallam said to see the Matildas all the way here after their game against Nigeria it was amazing.