Women's Asian Cup 2026: Matildas hope other nations don't have to keep fighting for the basics

There was a time when the Matildas had to fight and scrap for pay, recognition and respect. 

In 2015, they took the extraordinary step of going on strike, asking Football Australia for better pay and conditions in their new collective bargaining agreement.

It saw them miss a tour of the USA and lasted two months. Nearly eleven years on, it's a vastly different scene for them. 

But for others in the Asian confederation, like their opponents at the Women's Asian Cup in Sydney tonight, South Korea, their own fight is just beginning. 

Matildas to banish memories of 2022

The South Koreans threatened to boycott this tournament, due to "harsh and unreasonable conditions" under the nation's federation, which was resolved before the tournament kicked off. 

With tonight's game being staged on International Women's Day, Matildas vice-captain Steph Catley says the Asian Cup can provide an important space to highlight inequities. 

"The nations that don't have the privileges that we have, we haven't always had that either," she said ahead of the game.

"And it does drain you, and you don't want anyone to have to be going through that for basic, simple rights as a footballer. For access to change rooms or a pitch that's not got holes in it or whatever it is. 

"This platform just shows how incredible women's football is, and hopefully that's enough eventually for these nations to take notice and to give their teams the basic standards of what they need to go out and perform."

Matildas 'learned from that moment' in 2022

The South Koreans are ranked 21 in the world, just six places behind Australia, and they knocked the Matildas out in the quarterfinals in the 2022 Asian Cup.

Now they face off in what is the Matildas' biggest test of the group stage.

"With that game in particular, we were quite wasteful from memory and didn't finish our chances and against a team like Korea, they take advantage," Catley said.

"We've definitely learned from that moment and been holding on to it, and we want to make sure we do everything we can to not feel that again."

The two sides met in friendlies in Australia last year, which the Matildas won. South Korea's coach Shin Sang-woo doesn't expect a repeat of that.

"At last year's games, we were in the process of testing our players … but now the players change a lot since last year's matches, and I think we improved a lot in the team organising," he said. 

"So I think we will, we can show much better performance tomorrow."

They only need a draw to top the group, thanks to superior goal difference. The group winner will remain in Sydney for the knockout stage, while the runner-up will travel to Perth for the quarterfinals and semifinal.  

"Our original goal for this tournament was getting three wins for the group stage, so we’re not gonna sit back," Shin said.

And Catley believes the Australians are poised to bring their best. 

"I would say the squad's in a very, very good place right now," she said.

"Majority of the players are overseas, challenging themselves in the top leagues around the world. 

"And I think you can see that every time you come back into a camp and at training, the level is very, very high, and every player that steps foot onto the field is ready to go and ready to play the international level. 

"And I think that's something potentially that we've missed in the past."

Raso to miss match

Hayley Raso will miss the match, after receiving balls to the face twice in the win over Iran. 

Coach Joe Montemurro said she would be sidelined for seven days under concussion protocols, but hopes to return later in the tournament.

He also confirmed that goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold and midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross were fit for selection, after missing the first two games.