Hoping to reprise the World Cup vibes, Australia opens Women’s Asian Cup on Sunday

By Canadian Press on February 25, 2026.

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — The Women’s Asian Cup kicks off Sunday with Sam Kerr’s Australia squad taking on Philippines in her hometown of Perth, and hoping to reprise some of the extraordinary support the Matildas harnessed in 2023.

Australia is hosting the 12-nation tournament and aiming to win it for the first time since 2010. The last time Australia staged a major women’s soccer event was in 2023 when it co-hosted the World Cup with New Zealand and reached the semifinals.

Other title contenders include defending champion China, Japan — the top Asian team in the FIFA world rankings at No. 8 — three-time champion North Korea, and 2022 finalist South Korea.

Matildas

The Australian women’s soccer squad has become one of the most-followed teams in Australia in recent years, drawing 18 consecutive sold-out matches up to October, 2024.

That included a run to the 2023 World Cup semifinals on home soil, when the Matildas captured the nation’s attention.

Veteran Matildas international Hayley Raso said the pressure of home expectations was fueling rather than hindering the team.

“The expectations are high and a lot of people want us to do well,” Raso said earlier this week. “I think we’re probably our harshest critics, and we want ourselves to do well.

“We love the pressure, we love performing here in Australia. We want to win games, so I think that’s what pushes us the most.”

Prolific goal scorer Kerr will captain Australia in her fifth Women’s Asian Cup and Matildas coach Joe Montemurro took a chance on Mary Fowler’s fitness despite her extremely limited game time since undergoing right knee ACL surgery last April.

China

The nine-time champions will be guided by ex-Australia women’s coach Ante Milicic. No team has won the title more than China, which dominated the competition from 1986-99 and also won the title when the tournament was lasted hosted in Australia in 2006, rallying from two goals down before edging the Matildas on penalties in the final.

“The new girls want to create their own history,” Milicic said. “It’s also up to us as players and staff to make (China supporters) proud.”

Chinese club Wuhan Jiangda won the 2024-25 AFC Women’s Champions League title and key players from that squad are with the national team, including Wang Shuang, Wu Haiyan and Yao Wei.

India

India was host of the 2022 Women’s Asian Cup but its team had to withdraw after an outbreak of COVID-19 within the squad. The Indian women secured a spot in Australia after topping their qualifying group, capped with a 2-1 win at Thailand, with Sangita Basfore scoring twice.

Amelia Valverde was appointed as head coach last month to bolster a coaching staff that still includes Crispin Chettri, who got the team through qualifying.

“The group is super motivated,” Valverde said. “We have a group that works spectacularly and trains very well.”

Japan

Japan has reached the semifinals in the last 15 editions of the Women’s Asian Cup, losing on penalties to China at that stage in 2022 after winning back-to-back titles in 2014 and ’18 — beating Australia in those finals.

Japan is the only Asian team to have won the Women’s World Cup — beating the U.S. on penalties in the 2011 final — and will be led by Saki Kumagai, along with Europe-based Ayaka Yamashita, Moeka Minami, Momoko Tanikawa, and Maika Hamano.

Format

The 12 teams are divided into three groups of four, with host nation Australia in Group A along with 2022 runner-up South Korea, Iran and Philippines.

Group B includes China, North Korea, Bangladesh and Uzbekistan and Group C contains Japan, Vietnam, India and Taiwan.

The top two in each group and the two best third-place finishers advance to the quarterfinals set for March 12-14 in Perth and Sydney.

The semifinals will be held March 16 in Perth and March 17 in Sydney, with the final on March 20 at Sydney’s Stadium Australia.

World Cup context

Eight teams competing in Australia can potentially qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil. The four semifinalists will qualify directly for Brazil, while the four losing quarterfinalists will go into another round of playoffs at the Asian Cup. Two winners from there will secure spots at Brazil, and the two losing teams will get another chance via FIFA’s intercontinental playoffs.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

John Pye, The Associated Press