Poletti 
The Matildas in action in October 2024 against Switzerland, celebrating a goal scored by Caitlin Foord. Photo Credit: Marcio Machado/Football Australia
The match schedule for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 was announced on Thursday, with the Matildas to play in all three host cities throughout the group stage.
The Aussies will open in Perth at Perth Stadium, which has a 60,000 seat capacity for the tournament, which will also host the opening ceremony, before playing Match Day 2 on the Gold Coast, and closing out at Stadium Australia on Match Day 3.
Football Australia CEO James Johnson said that the release of the schedule marked an exciting milestone on the FA’s journey of hosting the tournament.
“With the Matildas set to play in all three host cities, fans across the country will have the opportunity to witness world-class football as we showcase the very best of women’s football in Asia,” Johnson said.
“This tournament is not only about the competition on the pitch – it is about uniting communities, celebrating our diversity, and building a lasting legacy for the growth of the women’s game in Australia.
“We look forward to welcoming Asia’s finest teams and creating an unforgettable experience for players, fans, and football lovers alike.”
Conjecture over which venue would host the final was settled, with Stadium Australia, at a 79,500 listed capacity, awarded the final and a semi-final, with the other being hosted at Perth Stadium.
Other highlights of the draw show that the group stages of the tournament will be played primarily in a hub format, with most of Group A taking place on the Gold Coast, most of Group B in Sydney, and most of Group C in Perth at the Perth Rectangular Stadium.
Sydney will host 11 of the tournaments 27 matches, the most of any city, with the knock-out games all taking place in either Perth or Sydney.
The only post-group stage action for the Gold Coast will be the play-off games to determine spots for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, with the AFC needing to determine its fifth and sixth place sides for automatic qualification for the World Cup.
The final draw will be conducted in the winter of 2025, with the qualifiers for the final eight spots to be determined by Friday July 5.
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