World Cup a game changer for Australian women s football say Brisbane Roar players

SINGAPORE – In July 2023, Chelsea Blissett was among the crowd of over 40,000 fans at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium for England’s 1-0 victory over Haiti at the Women’s World Cup.

While she got a front-row seat to catch some of world’s best footballers in action, the attendance was what stood out for the Australian.

“It was nearly sold out and the Matildas weren’t even playing, and it just showed that the fan base is there and we need to capitalise on it,” said the defender, who plays for A-League Women side Brisbane Roar.

“That’s what the World Cup has bolstered and highlighted – that we need to do more and it’s definitely on its way. It showed the potential that the sport has in our country.”

The 25-year-old, who made four appearances for Australia’s Under-19 team, was speaking on the sidelines of a training session at the Bishan Stadium on April 3.

The Roar are in town on a five-day tour as part of a partnership with the Football Association of Singapore and will face the Women’s Premier League (WPL) All-Stars team in an exhibition match at the same venue on April 4.

The 2023 World Cup, which was co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, has been a game-changer for women’s football, drawing record attendances – nearly two million fans turned out at the stadiums.

It has also spurred the sport’s development in Australia, said Blissett and her clubmate Deborah-Anne de la Harpe.

The fullback noted how the Matildas have become household names and play in packed stadiums, when previously games attracted only 1,000 or 2,000 people.

Their most recent home game – a 6-0 thrashing of Chinese Taipei in December 2024 – drew over 30,000 in the 40,000-capacity GMHBA Stadium in Geelong.

De la Harpe, 24, noted that players