- Australia to play Philippines in the opening match at Perth Stadium on 1 March 2026
- Perth to host Group C of the tournament including Japan, Vietnam, India and Chinese Taipei
- Event expected to attract thousands of out-of-state visitors and generate millions in economic impact
- Supported by the Western Australian Government, through Tourism WA
Football fever continues to build in Western Australia, as Perth prepares to host the Matildas, Japan, Philippines, Vietnam, India, Chinese Taipei, Bangladesh and Uzbekistan for the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026.
The official tournament draw was livestreamed globally yesterday, revealing the match-ups across host cities Perth, Gold Coast, and Sydney.
Perth will proudly host the opening match on 1 March 2026, featuring Australia's beloved Matildas who are now confirmed to go head-to-head with the Philippines, kicking off three weeks of world-class football action.
Top-ranked teams such as Japan will also compete on WA soil. Ranked 7th in the world, Japan are the only Asian team to have won a FIFA Women's World Cup and are eyeing a fourth continental crown. Hosts of the 2022 Women's Asian Cup, India, sealed their spot in 2026 with a blistering, unbeaten qualifying run, showing they are a force to be reckoned with.
Tickets are now on sale, with matches scheduled from1-21 March 2026.
Held every four years, the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026 will serve as the Asian qualifying tournament for the FIFA Women's World Cup Brazil 2027.
The 2026 edition is expected to attractthousands of out-of-state visitors to WA, generatemillions in economic impact, and reach acumulative broadcast audience of over 100 million across the duration of the event.
Securing these matches strengthens the Cook Government's commitment to create a diverse, year-round events calendar to continue driving visitation and generate valuable tourism dollars for local businesses and industry.
WA continues to shine as a premier host for major football events, with this Thursday's Australian-exclusive match between AC Milan and Perth Glory adding to recent highlights including the Matildas' Olympic qualifiers, and last month's Socceroos vs Japan FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier.
Find out more at: ticketmaster.com.au/womensasiancup2026
As stated by Sport and Recreation Minister Rita Saffioti:
"We have drawn an incredible group of teams for the AFC Women's Asian Cup.
"With Japan, Vietnam, India and Chinese Taipei, there will be enormous excitement from Western Australian fans.
"And of course, the opening match between Matildas and Philippines will be a great spectacle as Western Australia kicks off the whole tournament.
"We know there's huge support for women's football and our beloved Matildas, so we expect a strong turnout from the community, to get a chance to see these superstars up close and personal.
"Events like this elevate WA's reputation as a world-leading host of major sporting and cultural events and drive increased visitation to our State, helping boost the economy and drive jobs."
Comments attributed to Tourism Minister Reece Whitby:
"It's so exciting to learn our beloved Matildas will face Philippines in the opening game of the AFC Women's Asian Cup at Optus Stadium.
"Following the huge success of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, Perth is thrilled to welcome some of the world's best teams once again, when we host the AFC Women's Asian Cup in 2026.
"Hosting high-profile teams Japan, India and Chinese Taipei will put WA on the map as one of the epicentres of football fever next March, showcasing the State as a top-tier tourism destination, which will be broadcast around the world.
"Events like the AFC Women's Asian Cup solidify WA's reputation as the fastest-growing events destination in the South East Asia region, and is just another example of the Cook Government's economic diversification strategy in driving visitation generating valuable tourism dollars for local businesses and supporting jobs."
