BRISBANE, Australia (AP) – The Women’s Asian Cup begins on Sunday with Sam Kerr’s Australian squad taking on the Philippines in their hometown of Perth, hoping to repeat some of the extraordinary support the Matildas received in 2023.
Australia is hosting the 12-nation tournament and is aiming to win for the first time since 2010. The last time Australia hosted a major women’s soccer event was in 2023, when it co-hosted the World Cup with New Zealand and reached the semi-finals.
Other title contenders include defending champions China, Japan, Asia’s top team ranked eighth in the FIFA world rankings, three-time champions North Korea and 2022 finalists South Korea.
matildas
The Australian women’s national soccer team has become one of the most-watched teams in Australia in recent years, having played 18 consecutive sold-out games until October 2024.
Among them are 2023 World Cup Semi-Finals Matildas in his native land attracted national attention.
Veteran Matildas representative Hayley Raso said the pressure of home expectations helped rather than hindered her team.
“Expectations are high and a lot of people want us to be successful,” Laso said earlier this week. “I think we are probably our harshest critics, but we want to do well ourselves.
“We love pressure and we love performing here in Australia. I think that’s what drives us the most because we want to win games.”
prolific goal scorer car Australia will be captaining the women’s Asian Cup for the fifth time and Matildas coach Joe Montemurro has seized the opportunity. Mary Fowler’s Since undergoing surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in April last year, his fitness has progressed steadily despite very limited game time.
China
The nine-time champions are led by former Australian women’s coach Ante Milicic. No team has won more titles than China. China dominated the competition from 1986 to 1999 and won the title the last time the competition was held in Australia in 2006, coming back from a two-goal deficit to defeat the Matildas on penalties in the final.
“The new girls want to make their own history,” Milicic said. “It’s up to us as players and staff to make (Chinese supporters) proud.”
Chinese club Wuhan Jiangda won the 2024-25 AFC Women’s Champions League title, and the team’s main players include Wang Shuang, Wu Haiyan, and Yao Wei, who are in the national team.
India
India was to host the Women’s Asian Cup in 2022. the team had to withdraw After an outbreak of COVID-19 within the team. The Indian women’s team won 2-1 against Thailand with Sangita Basfour scoring two goals, making it through to the qualifying group and earning a spot in Australia.
Amelia Valverde was appointed head coach last month to strengthen the coaching staff, which includes Crispin Chhetri, who helped the team qualify.
“The group is very motivated,” Valverde said. “Our group is doing a great job and training very well.”
Japan
Japan has reached the semi-finals of the past 15 Women’s Asian Cups, winning back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2018 before losing to China on penalties in the 2022 tournament before defeating Australia in the final.
Japan is the only Asian team to win the Women’s World Cup, defeating the United States in a penalty shootout in the 2011 final, and will be led by Saki Kumagai, as well as Europe-based Ayaka Yamashita, Moka Minami, Momoko Tanikawa, and Maika Hamano.
format
The 12 teams will be divided into three groups of four teams each, with host nation Australia in Group A. 2022 Runner-up South KoreaIran and the Philippines.
Group B includes: ChinaNorth Korea, Bangladesh, and Uzbekistan, while Group C includes Japan, Vietnam, India, and Taiwan.
The top two and top three from each group will advance to the quarter-finals to be held in Perth and Sydney from March 12th to 14th.
The semi-finals will be held in Perth on March 16th, Sydney on March 17th, and the final will be held at Stadium Australia in Sydney on March 20th.
world cup background
Eight teams competing in Australia could qualify for the 2027 Brazil Women’s World Cup. The four semi-finalists will directly qualify for Brazil, while the four who are eliminated in the quarter-finals will have another round of play-offs at the Asian Cup. The two winners will secure a spot in Brazil, while the two losers will get another chance through FIFA’s intercontinental play-offs.
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