What time does Matildas vs England semi-final start?

The Matildas are set for their toughest challenge yet against the tournament favourite in a blockbuster Ashes matchup in Sydney.

TOPSHOT - England's forward #23 Alessia Russo celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the Australia and New Zealand 2023 Women's World Cup quarter-final football match between Colombia and England at Stadium Australia in Sydney on August 12, 2023. (Photo by STEVE CHRISTO / AFP)

The Matildas have once again made history as the first Australian side to make the semi-finals of a FIFA World Cup, with the eyes of the nation upon them in a ridiculously tense penalty shootout win over France.

Sydney FC’s Cortnee Vine placed her penalty into the bottom right corner to conclude the longest penalty shootout in the history of the World Cup, and fire Australia over European heavyweights France.

England took care of Colombia in their quarterfinal at Stadium Australia in a clinical performance, but will be without star Lauren James for the blockbuster penultimate game against their Antipodean rivals, courtesy of a shocking brainfade in their Round of 16 clash with Nigeria that landed James a two-match suspension.

Here’s everything you need to know about the World Cup semi-final.

When is the semi-final match?

Australia and England will face off on Wednesday, August 16.

What time will it start?

The game is set to kick off at 8pm (AEST), with the game being at 7pm in the central states and 6pm in the west.

Should the game go to extra time and penalties, as the Matildas’ quarterfinal did, the match may run as late as 10:30pm (AEST).

How to watch

You have a few options for catching all the action, with Channel 7 and Optus Sport sharing the broadcast rights in Australia.

Channel 7 will broadcast the game live and free to air on their main channel, while it will also be streamed on 7Plus.

Optus Sport is showing every single match live and on-demand, but requires a subscription for access.

The Matildas stopped the nation with their incredible shootout victory over France. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Matildas mania prompts live site upgrades

If you can’t get a ticket to watch the game at Stadium Australia, there are any number of live sites around Australia.

NSW Premier Chris Minns has announced that Western Sydney Stadium in Parramatta (CommBank Stadium) and Sydney Football Stadium in Moore Park (Allianz Stadium) will be opened to the public so that thousands of Australians can watch the match together.

Those stadiums are in addition to the FIFA Fan Festival hosted at Tumbalong Park in Darling Harbour, which has seen more than 202,000 attendees enjoy games so far in the contest.

There are a number of FIFA Fan Festival sites in most capital cities, as well as most local councils in major cities offering a live site option.

Here is full list of the live sites

• NSW – Tumbalong Park (FIFA Fan Festival), Bondi Pavillion, Onlsow Oval, Heffron Synthetic Soccer Field, Mackey Park, North Sydney Oval, Cromer Park, Allianz Stadium, Commbank Stadium, Paramatta Square, The Mondo, Rouse Hill town centre market square, QEII Square, Sid Kallas Oval, Grenfell Community Hub, Wheeler Place, Southcourt of the Civic Square, Globe Lane
• VIC – Federation Square (FIFA Fan Festival), AAMI Park, Springvale Community Hub, Harmony Square, Alfred Deakin Place
• QLD – South Bank (FIFA Fan Festival), King George Square, Coconut Grove, Cairns Esplanade Eastern Events Lawn, Cavill Mall, Mossman Showgrounds, Dixie Park, Sunshine Coast Stadium, Strand Park
• SA – Festival Plaza (FIFA Fan Festival), The Drive
• WA – Forrest Place (FIFA Fan Festival), HBF Park
• NT - Darwin Waterfront, Ross Park Soccer Oval
• TAS - Princes Wharf No. 1 Forecourt, Market Square, UTAS Stadium
• ACT - Garema Place

Where is it being played?

The game is being played at Sydney’s Stadium Australia, which has borne witness to two Matildas fixtures so far this tournament, and will also host the final.

The stadium is serviced best by public transport, with additional direct services to Olympic Park Station on the T7 line running from Central Station, as well as event buses servicing the stadium precinct.

England, despite a raft of injuries, are the hot favourites in Sydney. (Photo by STEVE CHRISTO / AFP)

Parking at Stadium Australia is relatively limited.

The Matildas have not lost so far in Sydney, defeating Ireland 1-0 in the group stage and Denmark 2-0 in the Round of 16.

England have played two matches in Sydney thus far, but only the one at Stadium Australia, a 2-1 defeat of Colombia.

Their other fixture in Sydney was a clinical 1-0 defeat of Denmark in the group stage at Sydney Football Stadium.

Who are the Lionesses and what is our record against them?

The Lionesses came into the tournament as one of the favourites, coming off a European Championship victory last year, but have not gone further than third place at a World Cup.

They have made the semi-finals twice, losing in 2015 to Japan and in 2019 to eventual champions the United States.

Despite this, they remain the short-priced bookmakers’ favourite to take out the tournament, with defender Lucy Bronze (Manchester City) and captain Millie Bright (Chelsea) all featuring in the top 20 of last year’s Ballon d’Or Feminin.

This is despite a number of injuries to key players ahead of the World Cup, with captain Leah Williamson and striker Leah Kirby both out.

Superstar striker Beth Mead also has missed the tournament, after losing her race to recover from an ACL injury.

Last time the two countries came together in a competitive clash, it was the Aussies that came out on top. (Photo by Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)

Breakout star Lauren James will miss the clash with suspension, having had an extraordinary start to the tournament which had her on track for player of the tournament honours.

The Matildas have played six games against the Lionesses, losing three, winning two and drawing one, but won their most recent encounter 2-0 in Brentford.

The Australians also came out on top against a Great Britain team featuring much of this Lionesses’ side at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, knocking the Poms out in the quarterfinal stage in an extra-time thriller.

Going up against the Poms won’t be foreign territory for the Matildas, with the two teams having clubmates on a day-to-day basis.

Australian captain Sam Kerr is the two-time consecutive reigning top goalscorer at Chelsea, and should she start, will mark up directly on her teammate, Chelsea and Lionesses captain Millie Bright.

Jess Carter will also line up at the back for England, and plays alongside Bright and Kerr at Chelsea.

Matildas’ vice-captain Steph Catley and striker Caitlin Foord both play for Arsenal alongside the Lionesses’ Lotte Wubben-Moy and Alessia Russo, while England boast five Manchester City players that share a dressing room with Australian superstar Mary Fowler and defender Alanna Kennedy.

Odds (Betr, 13 Aug 2023)

England – $2.22

Draw – $3.05

Australia – $3.20