Australia all but assured of hosting 2026 Women’s Asian Cup

The Matildas will be granted another shot at winning a major trophy on home soil after the Asian Football Confederation rubber-stamped Australia’s bid to host the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

A meeting of the AFC’s Women’s Football Committee on Friday in Tashkent, ahead of the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup final, has officially recommended Australia be awarded the hosting rights for the tournament. The decision is subject to the formalities of the bidding process and final ratification by the AFC’s Executive Committee at their next meeting in May – but with no other countries in the mix, after Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan withdrew their interest last year, it is a fait accompli.

Hayley Raso makes a heart sign as the Matildas score against Uzbekistan.Credit: Getty

It will be the second time the Women’s Asian Cup has been staged in Australia; the 2006 edition was played in Adelaide at Hindmarsh Stadium and the Marsden Sports Complex, with China beating the Matildas on penalties in the final in front of just 5000 people.

Two decades later, the tournament will be an exponentially bigger occasion, with the Matildas having now cemented themselves as Australia’s No.1 sporting team after their FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign last year captured the nation’s attention. Friday also marked the start of ticket sales for the team’s upcoming Olympic Games send-off match against China at Sydney’s Accor Stadium, which is expected to be their 14th consecutive sell-out match.

Football Australia will now turn its attention to securing federal government support to underpin the tournament, having already secured commitments from several states.

“We are thrilled to be recommended as the host [nation] ... we are committed to working with the AFC to satisfy the remaining requirements and delivering an outstanding tournament that will further enhance the women’s game and create a lasting legacy for future generations,” said FA chief executive James Johnson in a statement.

The Matildas celebrate after winning the final of the 2010 AFC Asian Cup, played in Chengdu in China against North Korea.Credit: AP

“The FIFA Women’s World Cup had a profound impact, not just on women’s football or women’s sports generally, but also on broader Australian society. It put Australia on the global football map and cemented our reputation as an excellent host of global football competitions. We are confident that hosting another global event like the AFC Women’s Asian Cup will have a similarly positive impact for Australians, the AFC and for women’s football in Asia.”

The Women’s Asian Cup is the next key tournament on the horizon for the Matildas after the Paris Olympics, which they sealed qualification for last month with a thumping 13-0 aggregate win over Uzbekistan. With captain Sam Kerr set to miss the Olympic Games due to an ACL injury, 2026 looms as probably her last chance to win silverware with Australia; she will be 32 by the time it comes around, and several of her long-term international teammates are expected to retire before then.

The Matildas’ Asian Cup crown in 2010 is the team’s only major honour in world football, having lost the finals in 2014 and 2018, and also crashed out in the quarter-finals of the last tournament in 2022. Six survivors from the 2010 side – Kerr, Lydia Williams, Clare Polkinghorne, Aivi Luik, Tameka Yallop and Kyah Simon – have been picked for Australia in the last 12 months.

Coach Tony Gustavsson’s contract expires at the end of the Olympics, but the prospect of another home tournament could encourage him to seek an extension – or, if he or FA decides on a change, it would surely help entice other high-profile foreign managers to succeed him.