Joey Peters has no doubt a home crowd can lift the Matildas to a best-ever result on the world stage in 2023, possibly even a cup win.
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As the 110-capped Matilda prepared for her first FIFA Women's World Cup in the United States in 1999, the tournament and the Australian women's team were barely known outside of football circles.
Never did the now 41-year-old imagine that nearly two decades on the Matildas would have captured the hearts of our nation, players would have pay deals her generation could only dream about and the Australian captain's image would be emblazoned on the Sydney Opera House. Not to mention the fact that the World Cup is heading to our shores.
Now, after the announcement on Friday morning that Australia will co-host the event with New Zealand, Peters, who played at three World Cups, believes anything is possible.
As hosts, the Matildas automatically qualify for the 32-nation tournament.
"We always dare to dream," Peters told a proud Newcastle crowd at McDonald Jones Stadium on Friday.
"Every World Cup we say we can win it, and you need to. You need to envisage yourself there. You need to imagine being on top of the world. You almost don't want to say it this time because it would be our best chance yet. Our golden generation in their prime ... and you can't help but play well in front of your home crowd.
"You're comfortable here. You're travelling around and you're used to things. I know when we played in the 2006 Asian Cup here we didn't know what we were going to do. But we ended up going to the final and we played our best football there and you just can't help doing that, especially with fans that are so supportive."
The furthest the Matildas have progressed at a World Cup is the quarter-finals, which they achieved in 2007, 2011 and 2015.
Whatever the result, Peters knows the impact the tournament will have on generations to come.
"It was so obvious that we were ready for this and it's just so obvious that Australia is ready for women's football to step forward and no longer be a token gesture," Peters said.
"It's wonderful to see all of these female leaders to inspire the next generation of young girls and boys, and mums and dads. We've seen with the Matildas how popular they are and everyone can relate to their honesty and doing it for the love of the game.
"We want to share that joy and that happiness with everyone. This event is going to be such a celebration and we can start celebrating now for the next three years and beyond, because it really is going to be huge. I don't think we know what's coming. A billion viewers. Those eyes are going to be on Australia and we're really going to turn it on for them."
Chair of Northern NSW Football, Helene O'Neill, said it was all of the "peripherals" that gave the milestone moment significance as well.
That included the fact that when the Women's World Cup comes to Australia and New Zealand in 2023 it will be the first time the tournament has been held in the Asia-Pacific region.
It will also be the first time it has been staged in the southern hemisphere.
O'Neill urged people to "embrace the game" as the country now turns its focus from winning the World Cup bid to ensuring that hosting it has maximum effect for the nation and the sport.
"Today is just the beginning," O'Neill said.
"Everybody is euphoric but we can't just go home today and that's it. We've taken the first step and now we have to just keep building to that event in 2023.
"We've showed at the Asian Cup that we can attract the crowds here in the Hunter."