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Matildas fever

The sails of the Sydney Opera House lit up in green and gold
The Sydney Opera House lit up in support of the Matildas on 7 August, before the Australia vs. Denmark match[1]

In the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, the performance of the Australia women's national soccer team (nicknamed "the Matildas") captivated nationwide attention and had a significant ongoing impact on the perception of women's sport in Australia. Some media outlets used the terms Matildas fever to describe the community spirit on display,[2][3] and Matildas effect to express the team's impact.[4][5]

Throughout the tournament, more kits representing the Australian women's team were sold than for the national men's team ("the Socceroos"), for the first time.[6] Every match featuring Australia sold out before the World Cup began.[7] Australian TV viewership records were broken several times, with live viewing sites set up in major stadiums to cope with crowds growing each game.[8] The Australia vs. England semi-final became the most-watched broadcast in Australian history, with 11.15 million watching on the Seven Network.[9] It was the furthest an Australian soccer team had advanced in a World Cup.

As a direct result of the Matildas' success, the Australian government pledged $200 million to improve women's sporting facilities.[10] In the 2024 winter soccer season, clubs around the country reported a record number of registrations for female players, with a 34 percent increase compared to the year prior.[4] This influx of new members overwhelmed many regional soccer clubs.[11]

The Australian National University named Matilda the Word of the Year of 2023.[12] A mural of the team was painted at Bondi Beach,[13] and a statue outside of Suncorp Stadium was announced.[14] As of March 2024, every professional game the Matildas have participated in following the World Cup has sold out.[15]

  1. ^ "Sydney shines green and gold as NSW gets behind Matildas' Women's World Cup campaign". Government of New South Wales. 7 August 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  2. ^ Moodie, Anthea (6 October 2023). "Matildas fever saw the nation fall in love with women's sport — but that's not a new concept in the nation's capital". ABC News. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  3. ^ "Matildas fever hits Perth ahead of Olympic qualifiers". ESPN. 24 October 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  4. ^ a b Burke, Helena; Rendall, Jessica (15 March 2024). "Football NSW calls for extra funding as 'Matildas effect' triggers 34 per cent increase in registratons". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  5. ^ Bakhsh, Jordan (22 November 2023). "What was the true nature of the 'Matildas effect'? New research shows it was profound, but uneven". The Conversation. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  6. ^ Crawford, Fiona (11 August 2023). "From handing out their own flyers, to sell-out games: how the Matildas won over a nation". The Conversation. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  7. ^ Snape, Jack (19 July 2023). "Women's World Cup ticket sales break record with close to 1.4m sold on eve of 2023 tournament". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  8. ^ Shams, Housnia (13 August 2023). "Two Sydney stadiums open as live sites for Matildas World Cup semifinal clash against England". ABC News. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  9. ^ "Matildas' Women's World Cup semifinal loss to England sets TV audience record". ABC News. 17 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  10. ^ Shephard, Tory (19 August 2023). "Albanese government to pledge $200m for women's sport after Matildas inspire Australia". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  11. ^ Lewis, Samatha (4 April 2024). "The Matildas have inspired record registrations for women in football, but where will clubs put them?". ABC News. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  12. ^ Cleal, Olivia (15 November 2023). "'Matilda' named 2023 Word of the Year recognising our trailblazing national team". Women's Agenda. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  13. ^ "Football Australia celebrates vibrant CommBank Matildas mural at iconic Bondi Beach". Matildas. 7 August 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  14. ^ Ward, Sarah (20 August 2023). "Brisbane Is Getting a Statue to Commemorate the Matildas' Historic 2023 Women's World Cup Efforts". Concrete Playground. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  15. ^ Mulvenney, Nick (12 March 2024). "Australia's Matildas set for 13th straight home sellout". Reuters. Retrieved 24 April 2024.

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