Football news 2024: Why cash-strapped Matildas are failing to keep up on world stage
After a horrible 12 months from the Matildas, and a crucial lead in to the 2027 World Cup ahead, Football Australia is pleading for funding for women’s football or it could quickly be left behind.
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The surge in popularity of women’s football around the world has nations investing more money than ever before – Football Australia CEO James Johnson warns if the Matildas are to keep up more investment from all levels of government is needed.
Matildas have had a tough 12 months since their historic fourth placed finish at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
They were bundled out of the Olympics in the group stage – their worst performance since the Sydney 2000 Games. It sparked a review into the high performance program and led to coach Tony Gustavsson’s contract not being renewed.
Rankings have slipped from 10th to 15th.
They are just one spot off their worst ranking of 16th back in 2003 and a long way from their all-time best ranking of fourth back in 2018.
Not one Australian women’s footballer made the cut for the prestigious Ballon d’Or – for the first time in the awards’ history.
Last year both Sam Kerr and Hayley Raso made the final 30 – with Kerr claiming second.
This year USA’s number of nominations have exploded from one to five.
Japan, Zambia, Iceland, Brazil and 156th ranked Malawi all had athletes make the cut.
The impact of the increased level of investment isn’t just being felt at a senior level.
Australia’s U20s national team didn’t score a single goal at the U20s Womens’ World Cup – currently being held in Colombia.
The Young Matildas were trumped 0-2 by the host nation, 0-2 by Mexico and Cameroon to be knocked out in the group stage.
Spain, Japan, Brazil and Korea DPR were among the teams to progress to the quarterfinals.
Football Australia have invested record amounts into the national women’s team, spending $13.4 million in the six month period ending December 2023– double the $6 million invested into the Socceroos. A further $1.3 million was invested into the women’s junior national teams and $1.1 million into the men’s junior national teams.
In comparison FA, England’s governing body, invested almost $60 million (AUD) into it’s women’s football programs. Following England’s 2022 Euros win the government pledged to spend $1.6 billion (AUD) over multiple years to ensure all girls had equal access to football at schools across the country.
In the wake of the successful home hosted Women’s World Cup the Federal Government launched a new $200 million sports program, Play Our Way, to improve women’s sporting facilities and equipment – but it wasn’t specifically for football.
State Governments also invested heavily with Queensland setting aside $10 million for better women’s sports facilities, NSW putting $10 million into football and South Australia pledged $28 million for women’s sporting facilities – $10 million of it was set aside for football.
The Victorian Government, with funding assistance from the Federal Government, built the $101 million high performance centre and new Home of the Matildas facility.
Johnson says the investment needs to continue if the Matildas are to be able to keep up with the competition.
“The growth in women’s football at both domestic and international level across the globe should be celebrated,” Johnson said.
“The quality and competitiveness has never been stronger, a trend which will only continue and that is why Football Australia is investing more than ever in its senior and youth national teams.
“The reality is the rest of the world is investing an increasing level of funding which is growing at a strong rate and a small country like Australia needs to compete with this and continue to strive for increased funding from all levels of government.”
It is a gap Football Australia will have to fix quickly if it wants to pull off a dominant performance at the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup which will be played in Australia.
“Football Australia is currently working on a match schedule for the next 18 months which will best support the team’s preparation for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in 2026,” Johnson said.
“In parallel with this match schedule, ensuring we appoint the best candidate to the head coach role and implement any findings from our post Paris 2024 Review will provide the foundation for what we plan to be a strong showing at the Women’s Asian Cup on home soil.”
Post the Asian Cup thoughts will have to quickly turn to the 2027 Womens’ World Cup.
With a number of current Matildas expected to retire between now and then the key will be ensuring there are experienced and talented players ready to make the step up to the senior team.
Just this past 18 months the Matildas have seen new faces join the squad – including rising stars Kaitlyn Torpey, Clare Hunt, Cortnee Vine and Sharn Frier.
Johnson said there was plenty of promise.
“Over the past couple of years we’ve seen a record number of our best emerging players secure contracts with leading clubs in some of the best domestic leagues in the world, which reflects the strength of our existing pathways,” Johnson said.
“We strive to continue to improve and are committed to investing available resources to do so, noting that all other countries are doing the same.”
The Matildas will travel to play Olympic bronze medal winners Germany, on October 29. Football Australia is yet to announce the Matildas second opponent for the same FIFA window.
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