Peter Filopoulos: Hosting the Women’s World Cup will turbocharge the growth of women’s football

Peter Filopoulos FV

Peter Filopoulos, CEO of Football Victoria believes Australia’s successful FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC) bid will fast-track the sport’s growth and generate much-needed funds for the nation’s footballing infrastructure.

“This is the most exciting football news this country has ever seen, other than qualifying for the 1974 and 2006 World Cups. For me, this is the biggest global event the country has ever won the hosting rights to. It is an enormous opportunity,” Filopoulos says.

The joint Trans-Tasman bid was victorious over Colombia, who was the only other potential host nation after Japan withdrew its bid only weeks before the final decision. The proposed date for the tournament to start is the 10 July 2023, with the final being held on 10 August.

The benefits of hosting one of the world’s largest sporting events cannot be overstated, particularly at a time when Australian football has struggled for investment, infrastructure, and viewership.

“We are growing at such a rapid rate that we have become victims of our own success. There has clearly been chronic underinvestment in the past which has created a facilities gap. In the community we have about 10,000 to 15,000 boys and girls missing out in club land every year,” Filopoulos says.

“We organically grew 24 per cent in 2018 and 29 per cent in 2019. Winning the hosting rights for the WWC will turbocharge growth in the women’s sector and help us to reach 50-50 participation, as well as accelerating the creation of more female-friendly facilities.”

At the top level, Filopoulos has already secured $15 million from the Federal Government to establish a state-of-the-art training facility dubbed the ‘Home of the Matildas’. Football Victoria will conduct a feasibility study with the State Government for further budget considerations for Phase 1 of the project, which is expected to begin in 2021 and be completed in early 2023.

Industry leaders are optimistic that the hosting rights will continue to trigger further investment into football, from the elite level down to the grass roots.

“Female football has evolved dramatically in Australia and it’s going to be fantastic to have the World Cup here. There is an opportunity to leave a real legacy from the national team right down to the grass roots, the coaches, and the facilities,” says Matildas legend and Football Coaches Australia Vice President Heather Garriock.

The Matildas will enter the tournament with a point to prove after suffering a knockout-stage exit in their last World Cup campaign, losing in a penalty shootout to Norway. The 2023 edition however will be more competitive than ever, with the tournament set to expand from 24 to 32 teams.

“We currently have an exceptional core group that have been around the team for a long time. They will be in their peak for the Tokyo Olympics next year and come 2023, it will be our best chance ever to win a medal,” Garriock says.

“We cannot forget the former Matildas who have paved the way for the current generation. I think acknowledging history is really important because it paints a beautiful picture that due to them, we are now able to achieve the dream of hosting a World Cup.”

In addition to fast-tracking the development of Australian football, major international events like the WWC act as a stimulant for a host nation’s economy and public image.
The 2019 WWC, which took place in France, broke records for total viewership and attendance figures. More than 1.12 billion people tuned in over the course of the tournament which included ticket sales of more than 1.16 million.

“The economic impact will be significant. This will start on 10 July and finish on 10 August so fans will come for a minimum of three weeks, but likely longer. In the context of tourism, people will be spending time and money in hotels and in the cities so the domestic economy will benefit greatly,” says Michael Edgley, Director of the Green & Gold Army, Australia’s leading football tour company.

“Another factor is the social benefit that is generated by these types of events. The positive atmosphere creates enormous joy and a fun experience, which is really important for women’s football. Last year’s WWC in France was right up there as one of the best events I’ve worked at.”

A key to securing hosting rights was Australia and New Zealand’s successfully delivery of past international sporting events. From the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games to the 2006 and 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2011 Rugby World Cup, both nations have rich sporting histories and proven track records.

“Australia and New Zealand have developed economies, stadiums, and great event industries whether it is on the creative side or in operations delivery. We’re in a great place to showcase the best of women’s football to the rest of the world,” Edgley says.

“Many Australians don’t yet understand how big this is, over a billion people will watch this, possibly up to two billion. We will be able to showcase Australia, our way of life and promote gender equality. Australia will get its chance to enhance our standing in the world and create a legacy moving forward.”

In total five stadiums across New Zealand will be used, including the tournament opener at Eden Park, Auckland while eight stadiums in Australia will host matches, culminating in the final at Sydney’s 70,000 seat Stadium Australia.

 

Previously published as: How the FIFA Women’s World Cup will secure investment and drive industry growth

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South Canberra FC Breaks the Mold: Equity-Driven Model Earns ‘Club Changer’ Honour

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Image Credit: SCFC

South Canberra Football Club has been named Club Changer of the Month for April, in a recognition that reflects a broader shift across Australian football toward rewarding clubs that are actively dismantling the structural barriers limiting women’s access to the game.

The AFC Women’s Asian Cup has just delivered record crowds and unprecedented visibility for women’s football in Australia, and the Club Changer program is now asking what comes next. Its decision to name South Canberra Football Club as Club Changer of the Month for April signals a clear shift in how the program defines contribution: away from participation numbers alone, and toward the equity frameworks that determine whether women stay in the game once they arrive.

South Canberra FC built that framework from the ground up. Established in 2021, the club set out to give women and female-identifying players a safe, inclusive environment to play football at any level. It runs entirely on volunteers, operates as a not-for-profit, and is governed by an all-female committee with 13 of its 14 coaches identifying as female.

 

Building the infrastructure of inclusion

In 2026, the club secured grant funding and put it to work immediately. Two coaches are completing their C Licence qualification, and ten coaches, players and community members have undertaken the Foundations of Football course, which directly tackles the cost and accessibility barriers that exclude women out of coaching pathways.

The club also commissioned a female-specific strength and conditioning program with sports physiotherapists ahead of the 2026 season, targeting injury prevention and explicitly supporting players returning after childbirth.

SCFC’s leadership team draws from LGBTIQ+ individuals, First Nations people and veterans, strengthening the club’s connection to the communities it was built to represent.

The Club Changer program is backing clubs that do this work- clubs that treat equity as infrastructure rather than aspiration. At a moment when Australian football is under pressure to turn its biggest-ever surge of women’s interest into something lasting, SCFC’s model offers a clear answer to the question of how.

Football NSW announces 2026 First Nations Scholarships as pathway access program enters new phase

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Image Credit: Football NSW

Football NSW has announced the recipients of its 2026 First Nations Scholarships, with ten emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players from metropolitan and regional NSW receiving support designed to reduce the financial and structural barriers that have historically limited First Nations participation across the football pathway.

The scholarship program, developed and assessed in collaboration with the Football NSW Indigenous Advisory Group, targets players across both elite and development environments – recognising that talent identification alone is insufficient without the resources to support progression once players are identified.

Co-Chair of the Indigenous Advisory Group Bianca Dufty said the calibre of this year’s recipients reflected the depth of First Nations football talent across the state, and the importance of structured support in converting that talent into long-term participation.

“Their dedication to football and the desire to be role models for younger Aboriginal footballers in their communities is to be celebrated,” Dufty said. “I’m confident we will see some of these talented footballers in the A-League and national teams in the future.”

 

Beyond the pitch and into the pipeline

The 2026 cohort spans both metropolitan clubs and regional associations, an intentional distribution that acknowledges the particular barriers facing First Nations players outside major population centres, where access to development programs, qualified coaching and pathway competitions is more limited and the cost of participation more prohibitive.

The next phase of the program will introduce First Nations coaching scholarships, extending the initiative’s reach beyond playing pathways and into the coaching and administration pipeline – areas where Indigenous representation remains among the lowest in the game.

The structural logic is clear. Scholarships that reduce financial barriers at the entry point of elite pathways matter most when they are part of a sustained ecosystem of support rather than isolated gestures. Football NSW’s collaboration with the Indigenous Advisory Group provides that continuity, ensuring the program is shaped by the communities it is designed to serve.

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