Australia hails success of FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 – Matildas Australia’s ‘most loved sports team’

By Amelia Fisher-Starzynski, Sydney, Australia, July 8, 2019: Football Federation of Australia (FFA) has today hailed the success of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019™ and congratulated the Local Organising Committee and FIFA for a stand-out tournament, and USA for lifting the trophy.

The tournament broke global TV records and women’s football is now surging in public consciousness across the world.

Following the conclusion of the action, Australia now stands ready to build on this momentum and take the tournament to the next level in 2023 if it becomes host of the next edition.

More than 1.39 million Australians tuned in via official broadcaster SBS to watch the Matildas play in France on the opening weekend, and domestic viewing figures for the entire tournament have eclipsed those in 2015.

With this momentum, Australia can become a trusted partner to FIFA as it continues to drive its development of the women’s game.

In fact, research conducted by True North found that the Westfield Matildas Australia’s ‘most loved sports team’, eclipsing men’s and women’s teams across cricket, rugby and other sports.

Football has strong foundations in Australia with 1.85 million people involved in the sport, making it the biggest participation sport in the nation.

FFA Chief Executive, David Gallop AM, said:

“This latest research showing that the Westfield Matildas are Australia’s ‘most loved sports team’, eclipsing teams of all the other sports, demonstrates the passion the Aussie public has for women’s football.

This means we will fill stadia like never before for a FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Our professional women’s league – the Westfield W-League – celebrated its tenth anniversary this year, while the FFA Constitution enshrines gender equality on the FFA Board, demonstrating Australia’s total focus on building the women’s game.

And with a truly multicultural society comprising over 200 nationalities, Australia is a country where every competing player will find a home away from home.

“Our track record in hosting major events shows that we would put on an incredible tournament, where the whole country comes alive and delivers an event that the entire world will love.

But our vision is bigger than that – we want to move the dial for women’s football across the world. We believe Australia is the ideal canvas to do that.”

“The support we felt on the ground in France, as well as the influx of messages the whole team received.

“I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to play in three World Cups now at the pinnacle of our sport.

The support we received in France was overwhelming and to have that in Australia, on a bigger scale, would be unbelievable.”