Women's association football in Australia
Encyclopedia
In Australia, there are over 60,000 registered women's soccer players.Unless specified otherwise, all statistics and references refer exclusively to women.Association football, football and soccer are used interchangeably in this article.
In 1922, a committee in Australia investigated the benefits of physical education for girls. They came up with several recommendations regarding what sports were and were not appropriate for girls to play based on the level of fitness required. It was determined that for some individual girls that for medical reasons, the girls should probably not be allowed to participate in tennis, netball, lacrosse, golf, hockey, and cricket. Football was completely medically inappropriate for girls to play. It was medically appropriate for all girls to be able to participate in, so long as they were not done in an overly competitive manner, swimming, rowing, cycling and horseback riding.
Australian women's sports had an advantage over many other women's sport organisations around the world in the period after World War II
. Women's sport organisations had largely remained intact and were holding competitions during the war period. This structure survived in the post war period. Women's sport were not hurt because of food rationing, petrol rationing, population disbursement, and other issues facing post-war Europe.
During the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, women's soccer saw a large expansion in the number of competitors.
. Prior to this from 1996-2004 the highest league was known as the Women's National Soccer League
.
The League consists of six teams aligned to their male A-League
counterparts and a team from Canberra. Below this league all competitions are run by the state based football federations.
In 1996, soccer made its debut as a women's sport at the Olympics. Four years later, Australia hosted the Olympics and Cheryl Salisbury scored the team's first Olympic goal in their second match against Sweden. Australia finished seventh in that first Olympic appearance. The team also competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics after qualifying by winning the Oceania qualifying tournament.
The first FIFA Women's World Cup
was held in 1991. Australia did not qualify, having been beaten by New Zealand because of goal difference. In 1995, Australia did qualify and finished last in the tournament. In 1999, Australia finished eleventh out of sixteen. In 2003, Australia finished last in their group. The Matildas qualified for the first time as an AFC
member in 2007, and had their best finish to date in the competition. They finished second to Norway
in Group C and bowed out in the quarter-finals at the hands of Brazil
. The Matildas matched that finish in 2011, finishing second to Brazil in Group D
and losing in the quarter-finals to Sweden
.
The youngest player ever for the Matildas was 14.
. They have competed in several tournaments including the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship
(predecessor to today's U-20 Women's World Cup). That particular competition was held in Canada. The Young Matildas finished fifth, the highest finish place in a FIFA sanctioned competition of any Australian women's national soccer team ever.
would be launched in 2008
. Australia has yet to qualify for the World Cup at this age level.
, currently playing in Women's Professional Soccer
in the U.S.
History
Some of the earliest games of soccer played in Australia were played in Brisbane in 1921. Around that period, there were at least three active teams, with over 60 combined total players. In September 1921, a game was played at the Brisbane Cricket Ground between a team from North Brisbane and a team from South Brisbane. The match had over 10,000 people in attendance. The North Brisbane team wore red and the South Brisbane team wore blue. The game was won by North Brisbane with a score of two to zero. Early football outfits for women were not that different than outfits worn today: long socks, long-sleeved football jerseys, baggy shorts, and purpose worn football shoes. Originally, football was not played by girls at schools in Queensland. Instead, football was played by factory workers in Queensland.In 1922, a committee in Australia investigated the benefits of physical education for girls. They came up with several recommendations regarding what sports were and were not appropriate for girls to play based on the level of fitness required. It was determined that for some individual girls that for medical reasons, the girls should probably not be allowed to participate in tennis, netball, lacrosse, golf, hockey, and cricket. Football was completely medically inappropriate for girls to play. It was medically appropriate for all girls to be able to participate in, so long as they were not done in an overly competitive manner, swimming, rowing, cycling and horseback riding.
Australian women's sports had an advantage over many other women's sport organisations around the world in the period after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Women's sport organisations had largely remained intact and were holding competitions during the war period. This structure survived in the post war period. Women's sport were not hurt because of food rationing, petrol rationing, population disbursement, and other issues facing post-war Europe.
During the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, women's soccer saw a large expansion in the number of competitors.
Schools
Girls play football at school. Most of these school based players are not counted as registered football players.Elite competition
Since 2008 the highest womens league in Australia is known as the W-League or Westfields W-League for sponsorship reasons and run by Football Federation AustraliaFootball Federation Australia
Football Federation Australia is the governing body for the sport of football in Australia. Before 1 January 2005, it was known as the Australian Soccer Association , which succeeded Soccer Australia in this role in 2003...
. Prior to this from 1996-2004 the highest league was known as the Women's National Soccer League
Women's National Soccer League
The Women’s National Soccer League was Australia's top women's football league and was the breeding ground of many of Australia's world-class players....
.
The League consists of six teams aligned to their male A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
counterparts and a team from Canberra. Below this league all competitions are run by the state based football federations.
The Matildas
The Matildas are Australia's senior national women's team. The team gives female athletes opportunities to play in high level competition. The national team first started representing the country during the 1970s. In 1978, the team competed in their first international tournament. This tournament was the World Women's Invitational in Taipai, Taiwan. Prior to 1978, Australia had only ever really competed against New Zealand on an international level.In 1996, soccer made its debut as a women's sport at the Olympics. Four years later, Australia hosted the Olympics and Cheryl Salisbury scored the team's first Olympic goal in their second match against Sweden. Australia finished seventh in that first Olympic appearance. The team also competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics after qualifying by winning the Oceania qualifying tournament.
The first FIFA Women's World Cup
FIFA Women's World Cup
The FIFA Women's World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the senior women's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the...
was held in 1991. Australia did not qualify, having been beaten by New Zealand because of goal difference. In 1995, Australia did qualify and finished last in the tournament. In 1999, Australia finished eleventh out of sixteen. In 2003, Australia finished last in their group. The Matildas qualified for the first time as an AFC
Asian Football Confederation
The Asian Football Confederation is the governing body of association football in Asia. It has 46 member countries, mostly located on the Asian continent. However, due to the disputed boundary of Europe and Asia, nations such as Russia and Turkey which are located mostly in geographic Asia are...
member in 2007, and had their best finish to date in the competition. They finished second to Norway
Norway women's national football team
The Norway women's national football team represents Norway in international women's football. The team, controlled by the Football Association of Norway, are former European, World and Olympic champions and thus one of the most successful national teams...
in Group C and bowed out in the quarter-finals at the hands of Brazil
Brazil women's national football team
The Brazil women's national football team represents Brazil in international women's association football. Brazil played their first game on July 22, 1986 against the United States....
. The Matildas matched that finish in 2011, finishing second to Brazil in Group D
2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Group D
Group D of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup consisted of the teams from , , and . The games were played on 29 June, 3 July and 6 July 2011. The top two teams advanced to the knockout stage.-Standings:All times are CEST ....
and losing in the quarter-finals to Sweden
Sweden women's national football team
Sweden women's national football team are a football team officially representing Sweden in women's football. They won the unofficial European Championships in 1984, a success the team has not managed to repeat, it has however won one World Cup-silver as well as three European Cup-silvers...
.
The youngest player ever for the Matildas was 14.
Young Matildas
The Young Matildas are Australia's U-20 women's national team. The team was initially organised as a U-19 team, but became a U-20 team when FIFA changed the upper age limit for its top women's age-grade competition from 19 to 20 effective in 20062006 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship
The 2006 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship was held in Russia from 17 August to 3 September 2006. It was the officially recognized world championship for women's under-20 national football teams...
. They have competed in several tournaments including the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship
2002 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship
The 2002 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship was held from August 17 to September 1. It was the first sanctioned youth tournament for women put together by FIFA. The tournament was hosted by Canada. FIFA granted the tournament to Canada in March 2001. Three cities hosted the tournament,...
(predecessor to today's U-20 Women's World Cup). That particular competition was held in Canada. The Young Matildas finished fifth, the highest finish place in a FIFA sanctioned competition of any Australian women's national soccer team ever.
Young Matildas U17s
The "Young Matildas" name, with "U17s" appended, is also applied to the U-17 women's national team. The team was established when FIFA announced that the U-17 Women's World CupFIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
The FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup is an international association football tournament for female players under the age of 17. It is organized by Fédération Internationale de Football Association...
would be launched in 2008
2008 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
-Group B:---------------------Group C:---------------------Group D:---------------------Knockout stage:All times local -Quarterfinals:-----------------Semifinals:---------3rd Place Playoff:----...
. Australia has yet to qualify for the World Cup at this age level.
Deaf Matildas
The Deaf Matildas are Australian national deaf team. Their first major tournament was the Deaflympic Games held in Australia in 2005.Soccer players abroad
Some Australian players have played abroad, in national domestic competitions. These players include Sharon Black and Alison Forman who formerly played in Denmark; Stacey Stocco, Joanne Peters, Cheryl Salisbury, and Dianne Alagich, who formerly played in the United States; and Lisa De VannaLisa De Vanna
Lisa Marie De Vanna is an Australian football forward currently playing for Newcastle Jets in the W-League in Australia and is a member of the Australian National Team.-Early years & playing style:...
, currently playing in Women's Professional Soccer
Women's Professional Soccer
Women's Professional Soccer is the top level professional women's soccer league in the United States. It began play on March 29, 2009. The league was composed of seven teams for its first two seasons and fielded 6 teams for the 2011 season, with continued plans for future expansion...
in the U.S.
See also
- Association football in Australia
- Sport in AustraliaSport in AustraliaAustralia has a long sporting history dating back to the mid 1800s. By the 1920s, a number of sports were being played by both men and women, including cricket, badminton, judo, swimming, tennis, netball, lacrosse, golf, hockey and various codes of football....
- W-League (Australia)W-League (Australia)The W-League is the preeminent women's semi-professional football league in Australia. Established in 2008, it is composed of eight teams - seven of them are affiliated with seven of the Australian clubs currently in the A-League, with the eighth team based in Canberra...
- Current Australian women's national league - Women’s National Soccer League (WNSL) - defunct Australian women's national league
- Women's association football around the world
- Women's Australian rules footballWomen's Australian rules footballWomen's Australian rules football is a fast growing sport played at senior level in Australia, United States, England, New Zealand, Canada and Japan. At junior level, it is also played in Papua New Guinea, Argentina and South Africa...
- Women's rugby leagueWomen's rugby leagueWomen's Rugby League is the female-only version of the game rugby league football. There are currently clubs for female only participation running in Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand which are overseen by the various individual organizations of those separate countries and internationally...
- Women's rugby unionWomen's rugby unionWomen's rugby union is a sport identical to the men's game with the same rules, same sized pitch, and same equipment. However, it has a history which is significantly different, due to various social pressures, and the self-image of rugby union in general...