About 400,000 people attended Australia’s matches at the Women’s World Cup as the Matildas caught the imagination of the whole nation
“Please have your tickets ready, and have a good night,” said the usher through his megaphone outside Sydney’s Stadium Australia before the final. “And go Spain.”
In this context, the 2023 World Cup was more revolution than evolution. It was a step change in the reordering of Australia’s priorities, in football and in women’s sport. Coming out of relative nowhere and inspiring a reaction that was barely fathomable a month ago. About 400,000 people attended the Matildas’ seven matches, each one at capacity. Millions more would have gone if they could. Instead the country turned to live sites and televisions. The semi-final between Australia and England outrated the biggest television programmes since the modern ratings system was established in 2001. Bigger than Australian rules grand finals, and rugby league State of Origin matches. Bigger than either Master Chef or My Kitchen Rules.
Politicians leapt on to the Matildas bandwagon, from the bottom of Australia’s federation to the top. There were the local councillors offering up their parks for sites to watch the matches. There were the states, throwing money at women’s changing rooms. There was even talk of a public holiday if the Matildas could win the whole thing.
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