In response to the overwhelming demand to witness the stellar performance of the Matildas and their acclaimed skipper Sam Kerr in her own hometown, Football Australia has been compelled to relocate one of the three Olympic qualifiers in Perth to the expansive capacity of the 60,000 seat Optus Stadium.
The Australia team is slated to encounter the Philippines team at this vast venue on Sunday, October 29, at 3pm, superseding the original plan to host the game at the 20,000 seat HBF Park. This move provides an extra 40,000 eager fans the golden chance to see the Matildas and Kerr in action, battling for a coveted spot at the Paris games.
This strategic shift of venue transpired as a result of the Matildas initial World Cup duel against Ireland being relocated to Stadium Australia, where an impressive 75,784 fans watched the home team triumph with a 1-0 win.
Citing the Matildas’ powerful attraction to fans, Football Australia’s chief, Mr. James Johnson, pointed out that nearly 450,000 admirers had attended matches, including the send-off match against France. He mentioned, “The Matildas’ market stronghold is self-evident, and the escalating support for this iconic team necessitates a larger venue capacity to accommodate the surging demand.”
Johnson expressed his gratitude to Premier Roger Cook, the Western Australian Government and Tourism Western Australia for partnering to ensure that a significantly larger fan base could enthusiastically support the team on their path to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
This match marks the first time since 2018 that the Matildas will return to Perth – their last time was when they played a friendly match against Thailand in the lead up to the 2018 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
Homegrown hero Kerr lauded the opportunity as a major career highlight. She expressed her certainty that Perth locals would rally around and show up in droves to support the Matildas. Kerr also shared her excitement to reunite with her friends, family, and dedicated Western Australian fans.
The Matildas’ other Olympic qualifying matches are against Chinese Taipei and IR Iran, which are set to remain at HBF Park, and will unfold from October 26 to November 1.
