Australia’s bid to host the Women’s World Cup was officially launched on Tuesday, with FFA chief executive David Gallop saying he was confident the Matildas would enjoy a deep run at this year’s tournament.
Just over two weeks out from the start of the 2019 edition of the World Cup, star striker Sam Kerr backed Australia’s bid by fronting a video as Gallop said FFA would use the upcoming tournament as an opportunity to lobby decision makers congregated in France.
“We saw with the Asian Cup most recently that we can put on a great tournament,” Gallop said. “We have the opportunity to be playing in a time zone which is attractive, we have great facilities already. We have an ability in this country to put on great world events. That will be part of our pitch.”
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FFA does not have a precise figure on how much a bid would cost at this stage, but Gallop confirmed it would take a “substantial investment”, comparable to that spent on the Asian Cup. “We need federal and state government to get on board,” Gallop said. “But it will deliver close to $500m in economic benefit for the country so there’s a lot of value in this proposition.”
Gallop said a successful bid would not only inspire a new generation of children and women to play the game, but it would also give the Matildas a very real chance of winning the World Cup on home soil.
Before then, coach Ante Milicic will seek to guide his team into the latter stages of the tournament in France. Given the wealth of talent available to Milicic, Gallop said he is confident of their prospects of a deep run.
“We’ve made the quarter-finals before and we certainly want to get to that point and move beyond that,” he said. “We know we’ve got a special crop of players from the world class players like Sam Kerr through to the new breed of players like Mary Fowler. It’s a great combination.”
Fowler, aged 16, will become Australia’s youngest player at a World Cup if she can convince Milicic to give her some game time in France.
“I did know in the back of my head that I was going to make it happen,” she said. “But no I couldn’t have – I wouldn’t have – predicted I was going to the World Cup right now. It’s an amazing opportunity for me.”
Fowler has shown plenty in four cameo appearances for the national team; particularly when first called up by previous coach Alen Stajcic. She replaced the oldest member of the World Cup squad, Lisa De Vanna, and dazzled against leading nations France and England in friendly outings last year.
A reported bust-up with Matildas officials might have seen Fowler and her tight-knit family explore other options for her footballing future, but whatever the case, Fowler says she’s all-in on Australia now.
“Its no secret that I could have represented Ireland. I could have represented Papua New Guinea as well,” she said. “I was born in Cairns. As my father said, my family are proud Australians.
“Now that I’m in the Matildas squad for the World Cup, my goal is to get on the pitch. If I do, I’ll be tied to Australia and that’s all I’m aiming for. Then I want to score a goal. That’s my job in the team. That’s the aim.”