The Australian women’s soccer team emerged from Olympic qualifiers against Iran, Philippines and Taiwan with three wins, three clean sheets and a highlight reel of 13 goals.
Another encouraging metric was the 97,000 fans who flocked to the games in Perth, months after the Matildas drew massive crowds at the home World Cup during their semi-final run.
With huge demand for tickets, Football Australia shifted the second qualifier against the Philippines to the 60,000-seat Perth Stadium and were rewarded as 59,155 turned up to watch the home side hammer the Southeast Asians 8-0.
It was the largest soccer crowd recorded at the nearly six-year-old venue and a record for an Australian women’s sporting game outside of Olympics and the World Cup.
Football Australia (FA) promised the World Cup would deliver a legacy for women’s football in the country that would be felt long after the tournament, having seen the spark lit by the women’s Euros in England.
On the strength of Perth, the governing body will be confident the tournament and the “Matildas effect” have staying power.
Finishing top of Group A in Asian qualifying, Australia will battle Uzbekistan in a two-legged playoff in February for a place in next year’s Paris Olympics.
FA are already thinking about venues for the second leg at home on Feb. 28.
