Football Australia today reaffirmed its commitment to advancing women's football across New South Wales, calling for sustained, long-term investment to ensure the state can meet the rapidly increasing demand for female participation.
As the CommBank Matildas prepare to compete in the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026™ Final in Sydney on Saturday evening, their success continues to inspire communities across NSW, and the nation, and this follows the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023™ where there was unprecedented growth in women's football, with female participation in NSW increasing by nearly 31% between 2022 and 2025.
This trajectory has been further strengthened during the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026™, for which Sydney has served as the tournament's epicentre.
New South Wales, which has been hosting the competition's major fixtures, including the Final, is expected to welcome more than 260,000 attendees, including over 25,000 interstate and international visitors, with the tournament forecast to contribute an estimated $260 million in national economic output.
This momentum emphasises the need to bridge the 'facilities gap' across the state between the current condition of community infrastructure and the standards required to ensure playable facilities.
Investment is essential, including in female-friendly changerooms, lighting, drainage capacity and new amenities-all of which provide a safe, equitable and year-round environment for women and girls.
Independent analysis undertaken for Football Australia, Football NSW and Northern NSW Football determined that the state requires a ten-year infrastructure plan, costing $343 million to adequately address the facilities gap at the grassroots level.
Football Australia, Football NSW and Northern NSW Football are therefore calling on the NSW Government to establish an NSW AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026™ Legacy Fund, consisting of annual grant rounds of up to $34 million over ten years, commencing after the tournament. The fund would be administered by the NSW Office of Sport in collaboration with Football NSW and Northern NSW Football.
This long-term investment would:
- Deliver new and upgraded community facilities with a priority focus on female-friendly and gender inclusive changerooms
- Improve accessibility, safety and playing capacity across metropolitan, regional and remote communities
- Support multi‑use facilities that benefit multiple sporting codes
- Strengthen participation pathways for women and girls across all age groups
- Ensure the legacy of the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 endures well beyond the conclusion of the tournament
Quotes attributable to Football Australia Chief Executive Officer, Martin Kugeler:
"Football Australia, alongside Football NSW and Northern NSW Football, is calling on the NSW Government to deliver a long‑term grassroots football facilities fund to ensure the state can meet demand and secure a meaningful legacy for women's football.
"With unprecedented growth placing significant pressure on community clubs and facilities, many clubs are struggling to keep pace, with outdated and inadequate infrastructure limiting opportunities for women and girls.
"The shortage of female‑friendly changerooms is a particularly critical issue, impacting safe and equitable access to the game.
"Women's sport, and football in particular, are essential to building a more equal, healthy and inclusive society, and their continued growth strengthens communities at every level across our state.
"Securing its future in NSW requires infrastructure that meets contemporary standards, supports equitable access, and reflects the expectations of the growing number of women and girls participating in the game.
"We hope to work closely with the NSW Government, Football NSW, Northern NSW Football, local councils and community clubs to ensure that the legacy of the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 delivers long‑lasting benefits for communities throughout the state."
Quote attributable to Football NSW CEO John Tsatsimas
"The growth of women's football in New South Wales is not a short-term trend-it represents a fundamental shift in participation and expectation across our communities. To sustain this momentum, we must invest in infrastructure that is inclusive, accessible, and fit for purpose, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to play, develop and thrive in the game.'
"Historically, established and aging facilities do not cater for all gender use which doesn't support growing participation by women and girls. Across NSW, fields currently lose around 34% of their capacity due to playing field conditions. These issues include lack of functional drainage infrastructure, insufficient lighting, no irrigation or substandard below ground infrastructure to cater for the significant use, growing demands and climatic conditions."
"We call on the government to invest in the largest participation sport in NSW to bridge the growing facilities gap in NSW which will deliver economic and social long-term benefits through connected communities."
Quotes attributable to Northern NSW Football CEO Peter Haynes:
"We are seeing record participation numbers across northern NSW, with women's and girls' football a huge part of that growth. The game has never been more popular but government investment levels have not kept pace. The demand is not coming - it's already here.
"Recruitment numbers in women's and girls' football across our region are booming. More players, more teams, more competitions but without the infrastructure and support to match, that growth becomes increasingly difficult to sustain. We're welcoming more and more new players to the game, many for the first time. That's incredibly exciting but it also brings a responsibility to ensure we can provide the environments they deserve.
"This is a defining moment. We have unprecedented momentum in the women's game, particularly in regional northern NSW. But without long-term investment, we risk that progress stalling. Regional northern NSW is experiencing a genuine boom in women's football. The challenge now is ensuring that opportunity is matched with access to high-quality facilities, programs and pathways.
"The numbers don't lie. Participation across northern NSW is at record levels and still rising. Now is the time for governments, partners and stakeholders to step up and invest in the future of the game. We have the players, the passion and the momentum. What we need now is the long-term investment to ensure women's football not only grows but thrives for generations to come."
