Matildas World Cup success requires urgent funding

Dr Thomas Heenan Sports and Australian studies lecturer at Monash University said the Matildas' success is on par with Freeman's 400 metres and feeds into the broader issue of equality in women's sport.

"It's about equal pay and equal conditions, there's about seven teams that have been in dispute with their Federation at this World Cup, the average wage of any player in this World Cup is about $36,000," Dr Heenan said.

With former Socceroo Craig Foster putting Australian politicians on notice that their vocal support for the Matildas should be backed up by better funding for the world game, Dr Heenan wants Canberra to recognise the market edge of women's sport and fund infrastructure projects.

Football Australia's Legacy '23 plan aims to address the challenges facing women's football and collaborate with government support the largest club-based participation sport in the nation.

Only 41% of football facilities across the country are currently classified as female friendly.

"With an anticipated surge in female participants and our ambitious target to become the first community sport to reach gender parity, it is crucial that we rectify this situation and enhance the experience for female players, coaches and officials," the report said.

While a public holiday for the Matildas reaching the final has been mentioned by politicians, Dr Heenan said football in Australia needs way more than just a public holiday.

"There is something really significant happening in this World Cup and its emphasising that there should be more women in administrative posts leading sport.

"You're going to have parity on the pitch, lets have parity in administration," he said.

"You need to be fuelling money into that community base, particularly when a major portion of that base doesn't have the facilities to change in at the most basic level.

"It should be funded on an equal status with the major codes of rugby and Australian Rules Football - it is an internationally far more significant sport."

Dr Heenan argued the Matildas were Australia's most marketable team and their growth had been organic.

From here he said women's participation in football had to grow and Australia must realise the soft power significance of the Matildas.

"It's about using this event to equalise sports based on gender, but it's also about engaging with the Pacific as a tool of soft diplomacy." he said.