Football Australia reveals strategic vision to build on FIFA Women’s World Cup legacy

Football Australia has today unveiled a comprehensive post-tournament report on the Legacy ’23 strategy, calling for continued investment and support to build on the success and momentum of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 and further elevate Australia’s position on the global football arena.

The release of the strategy comes on the day when Australia’s hosting of the Asian Football Confederation 2026 Women's Asian Cup was all but confirmed after Pakistan and Saudi Arabia withdraw from discussions about hosting the event.

Legacy ’23 shows that co-hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup was a historic milestone with the event breaking even for the first time and delivering an economic impact of $1.32 billion in Australia.

This report demonstrates Football Australia's strategic vision and commitment to drive a national set of benchmarks to deliver positive change and sustainable development, and investment to transform the legacy of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 into a sustainable foundation for football’s future in Australia.

Emphasised the need for sustained momentum, Football Australia Chief Executive, James Johnson advised "the FIFA Women’s World Cup was a testament to Australia's capability to host globally significant tournaments. The sporting, economic and societal benefits which the tournament generated, not just to football, but to other sports as well as broader Australian society are now there for all to see in the post-tournament report.

“To continue this trajectory, we aim to secure the hosting rights for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026, which will require government support at all levels. We believe that this will once again be a huge value-generator for Australia and another boost to the ongoing growth of Australian football and more broadly throughout Asia and the Oceania region.

“These successes have seen a dramatic increase in women’s participation in football which is adding more pressure on the need for government investment, at all levels, to closing the $2.9 billion gap in facility investment across Australia. With over 2,400 clubs at capacity, we continue to work with all levels of government to meet the needs of 1.7 million participants across Australia.

“We are encouraged by the Federal Government’s $200 million Play Our Way grant program, which was inspired by the CommBank Matildas at last years’ FIFA Women’s World Cup to address the growing facilities gap in our community following strong and continued growth in participation,” Johnson explained.

Sarah Walsh, Head of Women's Football, World Cup Legacy, and Inclusion at Football Australia reflected on the impact of the CommBank Matildas, noting "the CommBank Matildas have been at the forefront of transformative societal change, challenging perceptions and gender stereotypes while advocating for sustained evolution within the Australian and international sporting landscape.

“The Legacy ’23 post-tournament report delves into the success achieved in leveraging the tournament, however, emphasises the need for increased funding to ensure that the legacy of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 isn’t merely a momentary triumph, but evolves into foundations for a thriving, equitable, and dynamic future for football.”

A noteworthy aspect of the success of Legacy ’23, was its broader influence on sport, extending beyond football. While the federal and state government investment of $398 million for Legacy ‘23 and related initiatives has been substantial, $269 million directly benefited football exclusively, with 33% of the funds positively impacting other sports.

Looking ahead, Football Australia aims to continue fostering and building on partnerships across government levels, with Johnson adding “as we aim to host the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 and bid for the 2029 FIFA World Club Cup to contribute to the growth of Asian football, we are committed to ensuring that the legacy of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 continues to thrive, benefiting not just football but the wider Australian society.”

This report demonstrates Football Australia's strategic vision and commitment to drive alignment with broader national goals and strategies and highlights the necessity for increased funding and support to transform the legacy of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 into a sustainable foundation for football’s future in Australia.

Click here to view the report.

Images: The Matildas at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 (top) and the game at the state league level (below).