Socceroos to play at Wembley, Matildas to meet World Cup favourites with games against England confirmed
Football Australia promised huge games for our national teams and they’ve delivered with important matches against England, writes ADAM PEACOCK.
Football
Don't miss out on the headlines from Football. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Socceroos and Matildas are set to play blockbuster friendlies against England later this year.
In a deal announced Tuesday morning, Football Australia have locked in marquee games for the Matildas against reigning European Champions the Lionesses on April 11 at Brentford Community Stadium, while the Socceroos will meet Harry Kane and co. at Wembley on October 13.
It will be the first time the Socceroos have played at the iconic venue in north London.
“As an Australian footballer and coach, playing England at Wembley is something all footballers dream of,” Socceroos coach Graham Arnold says.
“Not just because of the occasion, but for the opportunity it presents to test ourselves against one of the world’s most revered footballing nations.”
In 2016 England defeated Australia, then managed by Ange Postecoglou. It‘s been 20 years since the Socceroos destroyed the English at the old Upton Park in London, with Harry Kewell running rampant in a famous 3-1 victory.
“That night brings back some amazing memories for Australian football and football fans,” Arnold explained.
“While we had a very talented Australian team, we were taking on an England outfit stacked with superstars, and the result really made the players believe that they could take on anyone and qualify for the World Cup in 2006.”
The Matildas’ April encounter will take place at the home ground of Premier League side Brentford, a brand new 17,000-seater stadium squashed in the middle of west London suburbia.
The game isn’t at Wembley as England have already locked in a game against Brazil at the venue for the other available April date.
“As one of the best teams in the world, it’s a chance for us to continue to gather crucial information on our style, our play and what we will need to continue evolving,” Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson says.
The England game will mean the Matildas will have played eight of the top 10 nations on the planet in the past two years.
“Over the past two years, Football Australia has been dedicated to creating the right environment for national team success,” Football Australia CEO James Johnson says.
“This means replicating tournament football by playing higher-ranked opponents on a more regular basis to ensure the best preparation and our teams are peaking come tournament time.”
The Matildas have never beaten England in the three matches they’ve played, losing two with one draw. The two sides could meet as early as the round of 16 at the 2023 World Cup, with Group B (Australia) and Group D (England) to cross over in the knockout stages.
With the majority of the current squad based in Europe, the Matildas’ April games are a way to ease the travel load on the likes of Sam Kerr, Caitlin Foord and Steph Catley.
There is one other game in Melbourne, against an opponent to be announced, before the July 20 World Cup opener against Ireland.
The Matildas meet Jamaica in Newcastle Wednesday before club duties resume.
An announcement is imminent on the Socceroos games for the upcoming March window – expected to be Ecuador – in what will serve as a celebration of the World Cup performances.
Beyond that, a hectic 12 months await the Socceroos.
Either side of the England game in October will be friendly games in June and September, before 2026 World Cup qualifiers get underway in November ahead of the 2024 Asian Cup next January in Qatar.
Top-quality opponents are key for Arnold, who recently renewed his contract as Socceroos boss until 2026.
“We showed at the World Cup in Qatar that we can match it with the best and by playing the best on a more regular basis, it will only strengthen our preparation,” Arnold says.
Originally published as Socceroos to play at Wembley, Matildas to meet World Cup favourites with games against England confirmed
‘Difficult to answer’: Coach’s frank Kerr admission
Interim Matildas coach Tom Sermanni faced the media on Tuesday to announce the latest squad – but instead was faced with a barrage of questions about Sam Kerr.
Matildas call on fresh blood amid star’s extended mystery absence
Interim Matildas coach Tom Sermanni has named his SheBelieves Cup squad – bringing a fresh face into the mix amid Cortnee Vine’s continued unexplained absence.