Australia’s women’s soccer team, popularly known as the Matildas, look set for a 13th consecutive home match sell-out when they host China in a friendly at the iconic Adelaide Oval in May.
Australia will play China on May 31 at the Adelaide Oval, which has a capacity of 53,500. Football Australia, which governs the sport in the country, said 30,000 tickets had been sold out within just four hours in the pre-sale period.
Football Australia CEO James Johnson said that the latest sell-out looming was indicative of the continued deepening bond between the team and the Australian public.
The Matildas captured the hearts of Australian fans during the FIFA 2023 Women’s World Cup on home soil, where they finished the tournament in third place.
“We are thrilled to witness the unprecedented demand for tickets to our national teams’ matches, a testament to the growing popularity and support for football in Australia,” Johnson said in a statement.
“This surge in ticket sales not only showcases the love for the game but also contributes to the financial health of the sport where match day revenue is now a significant revenue stream at Football Australia, enabling us to invest further in the game’s development,” he added.
Football Australia also said that following the success of the pre-sale, Adelaide Oval is on the brink of making history as it prepares to welcome the one-millionth person to see the Matildas at home since 2017.
The sell-out streak dates back to July 14 2023, when 50,629 fans turned up at Melbourne’s Docklands Stadium for Australia’s pre-World Cup friendly against France. The team also attracted record crowds in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.
Australia, 12th in the FIFA rankings, are also due to play a second friendly against 19th-ranked China on June 3 at Accor Stadium in Sydney. That will be their farewell game before they travel to France for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
The Matildas finished in fourth place at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.