The 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup has officially shattered all previous tournament benchmarks, with organizers confirming that more than a quarter of a million tickets have been sold.
This achievement cements the event as the most successful edition in the history of the regional championship, significantly outpacing the total attendance of the 2010 tournament in China in just its opening ten matches. The surge in interest is being driven by a “Matildas mania” that has shown no signs of slowing since the 2023 World Cup.
Record-Breaking Momentum
To date, 92,795 fans have attended the first ten fixtures across Perth, the Gold Coast, and Sydney. This early figure alone has eclipsed the previous all-time tournament record of 59,910 total spectators. The commercial and cultural momentum has also translated to the screen, with Australia’s opening two matches drawing a combined television audience of 2.68 million viewers on Network 10 and Paramount+.
Sarah Walsh, Chief Operating Officer of the organizing committee, hailed the response as extraordinary: “Surpassing a quarter of a million ticket sales so early in the competition demonstrates the remarkable support for women’s football and confirms the tournament is already exceeding expectations.”
A Historic Encounter at Stadium Australia
All eyes are now fixed on a massive showdown scheduled for International Women’s Day, when the Matildas face the South Korea women’s national football team at Stadium Australia.
The fixture is on track to produce the largest crowd of the tournament so far. NSW Premier Chris Minns noted that Sydney is preparing for an “electric atmosphere” as fans scramble to secure the final remaining tickets for what is expected to be a defining moment of the 2026 campaign.