Fears of an ongoing ‘talent drain’ and a failure to properly develop future Matildas leads to calls for a professional women’s A-League

There are fears that the A-League women’s competition will fail to produce future Matildas or attract top quality players unless it turns professional.

Players want the A-League women’s competition to be fully professional within two years to ensure the Matildas’ product line continues and that “global standards” of rival leagues are matched.

Professional Footballers Australia has released its annual A-League women’s report, with the overwhelmingly sentiment being that the competition must lift its game on and off the field or run the risk failing to give the nation’s best talent an opportunity to prosper, and being unable to attract top players.

The report’s key finding is that 96 per cent of A-League women’s players want the competition to become fully professional by the 2026-27 season, with the current part-time status of players hindering their “welfare” and harming the “quality of competition”.

“As women’s football evolves rapidly, especially in Europe and North America, the A-

League women must meet rising global standards to stay competitive,” the report said.

“The league has already suffered a siphoning of its top-end talent. It next risks having its middle hollowed out by superior opportunities, in the US in particular.”

The report also said the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup being held in Australia should lead to a “co-ordinated, professional relaunch” of the A-League women’s competition by capitalising on the “tournament’s momentum” and “enhancing the league’s visibility and commercial potential”.

A look back at yesterday's action at Meakin Park 👊 pic.twitter.com/S1B6MeyQB2

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Off the field, the report calls for clubs to “professionalise the match-day experience” and that a “consistent, high-quality match presentation will engage fans and reinforce the league’s ambitions”.

“The global growth of women’s football presents both a challenge and an opportunity

for the A-League women,” PFA co-chief executive Kathryn Gill said.

“Our players recognise that the league must embrace full-time professionalism by 2026 to remain competitive on the global stage.

“This transition will empower clubs to attract and retain top talent while allowing

players to perform at their best.

“That leap of faith will require a shared commitment to raising the standards of the match-day experience, broadcast quality, and player experience.

“Our league and club leaders must unite behind a new vision that drives professionalism, commercial growth, and investment.

“We believe the 2026 AFC Asian Cup provides the perfect timeframe and platform.”

The report also calls for clubs to meet “rising expectations” in terms of football operations, training facilities, and “culture”.

While the PFA admitted A-League clubs could “find it difficult” to shift its women’s teams to full-time professionalism, it was a case of needing to do so to stop the “talent drain” currently impacting the league and “jeopardising” the competition’s ability to “attract greater fan interest, commercial support, and international revenues associated with developing elite talent”.