Matildas coming to Perth for three Olympic Qualifier matches

• Matildas, currently captained by Western Australian homegrown hero Sam Kerr, to play three Olympic Qualifier matches in Perth later this year
• Double-header fixtures part of Asian qualifying rounds for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
• Matches supported by the State Government through Tourism WA, in partnership with Football Australia
  

A festival of football will be held in Perth as part of the Asian qualifying rounds for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with the Matildas set to play three games at HBF Park.

The Australian national women's soccer team is currently captained by Perth-born football mega star Sam Kerr, who is expected to lead the Matildas in the matches, which will take place across three days between 26 October and 1 November 2023.

The games are part of Round 2 of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Olympic Football Tournament Paris 2024, for which the Matildas automatically progressed to Round 2 based on their high placing in the 2020 Olympic Qualifiers.

The Matildas will only play in Perth as part of the Round 2 qualifiers.

Australia was announced last week as the host nation for Group A of this round of the Asian Qualifiers, with six matches proudly brought to Perth by the State Government through Tourism WA, in partnership with Football Australia and supported by VenuesWest.

The Australian squad will face off against Round 1 winners from IR Iran, Chinese Taipei and the Philippines, with thousands expected to travel to WA to watch the three matches, supported by the recently launched new direct flight between Perth and Manila.

The Matildas have played in Perth once before – in 2018, in a friendly match against Thailand. That game drove leagues of football fans to Perth.

Six Round 2 games will take place in Perth overall, across three huge double-header days, with matches played back-to-back:

• Thursday 26 October - Australia vs Iran and Chinese Taipei vs Philippines;
  
• Sunday 29 October: - Iran vs Chinese and Taipei Philippines vs Australia; and
• Wednesday 1 November: - Australia v Chinese Taipei and Philippines vs Iran

Group winners and the best-ranked runner up from Round 2 matches played in Perth and across the People's Republic of China and Uzbekistan will advance to the third and final round of the qualifying tournament, to be held in February 2024.

The winning teams will take the two spots reserved for Asia in the Women's Olympic Football Tournament to be held at the Paris Olympics from 24 July – 10 August 2024. Twelve women's national teams from six continental confederations will compete overall.

The Asian qualifying round matches will follow five FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 matches in July and August at Perth Rectangular Stadium.

General public tickets for Round 2 matches will be available soon at www.matildas.com.au.

Comments attributed to Premier Mark McGowan:

"My Government is incredibly proud to welcome the Matildas for three huge days of women's football here in Perth.

"The dust will have barely settled on Perth's FIFA Women's World Cup matches when the eyes of the world once again fall on Western Australian, as the Matildas compete in three Olympic Qualifier matches and fight to secure their ticket to Paris 2024.

"Perth-born Matildas captain Sam Kerr is a global football superstar and truly a sporting icon – she's an incredible role model for Western Australians and we can't wait to welcome her back to her home ground." 

Comments attributed to Tourism Minister Roger Cook:

"The WA Government is thrilled to bring the Matildas to Perth for these three Olympic Qualifier matches, which will drive thousands of out-of-state visitors to WA to spend millions of dollars in our tourism and hospitality businesses, and will showcase our beautiful State to a global audience through televised broadcasts and through the social media of world-famous players.

"Hosting high-profile sporting matches and major events like these Olympic qualifiers cements WA's reputation as one of the sporting capitals of the Southern Hemisphere."

Comments attributed to Sport and Recreation Minister David Templeman:

"As we celebrate Female Football Week, it's fitting to be announcing that the Matildas will play three matches in Perth as they strive for Olympic selection.

"Football is one of the most highly participated female sports in WA and those players aspiring to become a Matilda and play for Australia will be able to see their sporting heroes up close.

"With venue upgrades nearing completion ahead of the FIFA Women's World Cup, we look forward to welcoming the Matildas, captained by our own Sam Kerr, to this world class venue later this year."