The countdown to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ reached another milestone today, as the tournament celebrates 50 years since the very first AFC Women’s Asian Cup with the announcement that highly anticipated single-match tickets will go on sale on Friday, 5 September.
This is the moment fans have been waiting for — the chance to pick their matches, their cities, and their dream moments. For the first time, supporters can secure tickets to any game across Perth, Gold Coast and Sydney from 1-21 March. From heavyweight clashes to inspiring underdog stories, amazing seats are still available to experience world-class football up close, with prices from $20 for adults and $10 for children*.
Strong demand has already been seen during the first release of Multi-Match Packs with the majority of tickets purchased before the tournament draw on 29 July, when fans only knew Australia’s fixtures as host nation. Despite not being the main ticket release, thousands of supporters from every state and territory across Australia have already locked in their seats, demonstrating the power of women’s football to capture nationwide interest and the willingness of fans to invest in the biggest women’s football tournament in our region.
Demand has been strong right across the board, with the Final already selling well, knockout stage matches proving hugely popular — including the two play-off fixtures on the Gold Coast — and all of Australia’s Group Stage games drawing significant interest. This is a hugely promising sign ahead of the highly anticipated main ticket release of single-match tickets, which is set to see thousands more rush to secure their place.
Fans can look forward to incredible action across all three host cities, including the Matildas’ thrilling tournament opener against the Philippines in Perth on 1 March, their showdown against the Islamic Republic of Iran on the Gold Coast on 5 March, and a blockbuster International Women’s Day encounter against Korea Republic on 8 March in Sydney.
The AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ is not just any tournament. This is Asia’s best, competing at the highest level right here in Australia.
And as anticipation builds for 2026, today also marks a special milestone: 50 years since the very first AFC Women’s Asian Cup kicked off in Hong Kong, China on 25 August 1975, establishing the tournament as the oldest official international women’s football competition in the world.
Pat O’Connor captained the First Matildas to a third-place finish in the inaugural tournament in 1975, a tournament that brought together six nations in Hong Kong, China and marked the beginning of international women’s football in Asia. The grit, determination and pioneering spirit shown not only by Australia, but by all the teams who competed in that first edition, laid the groundwork for the women’s game to flourish across the continent. Their courage remains the true embodiment of Dream Fearless — breaking barriers, challenging expectations, and inspiring a legacy that continues to shape the game across Asia and here in Australia today.
Asia has long been a pioneer in the women’s game, we didn’t just join the global rise of women’s football, we are leaders in building it. Long before women’s football became a global movement, the AFC Women’s Asian Cup™ was leading the way and is a proud symbol of Asia’s trailblazing role in elevating the women’s game.
What began as the Asian Cup Ladies Football Tournament in Hong Kong, China in 1975, featuring just six teams, has evolved into a global showcase of talent with 12 nations now set to compete in the upcoming 21st edition, across Perth, Gold Coast and Sydney from 1–21 March 2026.
Over five decades, the competition has become a crucial platform for talent development across the continent, with eight Asian nations currently ranked inside the top 50 of FIFA’s Women’s World Ranking. The tournament not only serves as a battleground for continental supremacy, but also as qualifiers for the grandest global stage, the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Quote attributable to Chief Operating Officer of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ Local Organising Committee, Sarah Walsh:
“As we celebrate 50 years of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, it’s important to pay tribute to the trailblazers of that very first tournament, including the First Matildas, who showed what Dream Fearless truly means. Their courage and determination played a key role in shaping the women’s game into what it is today, and in building the platform that today’s players now stand on. The legacy of that 1975 tournament has grown into the global showpiece we will see on home soil next year, with demand already incredibly strong even before our main single ticket release. With single-match tickets now about to go on sale, we know interest will only intensify. I encourage fans to get in early and ensure they’re part of this once-in-a-generation event showcasing world class football right here on home soil.”
Quote attributable to Captain of the First Matildas, Pat O’Connor:
“When we pulled on the green and gold uniform back in 1975, we could never have imagined how far the women’s game would come and the scale of what the AFC Women’s Asian Cup would grow into. To see the Matildas inspiring the nation today, and to have this tournament here on home soil next year, is incredibly special. I feel so proud to have been part of the foundations of something that has grown into such a global spectacle, and I can’t wait to see the 2026 edition showcase the very best of women’s football to Australia and the world. I would encourage everyone to come out in numbers to be part of this historic tournament and to create a truly unforgettable atmosphere.”
Key Dates:
- 5 September, 10.00am AEST / 8.00am AWST – Sales open exclusively to Visa cardholders
- 11 September, 10.00am AEST / 8.00am AWST – Sales open to all accepted payment methods
Buy tickets: Lock in your tickets here.
Register for priority ticket access: Fans are encouraged to register here for priority ticket access.
* ‘From’ pricing is based on the lowest available adult and children’s ticket categories and is subject to availability. Ticket prices will vary depending on match selection, seating category, and availability. Children’s tickets apply to ages 4–16.
AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ Media Contact
Angela Habashy | General Manager – Media & Communications
AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026™ LOC Office
E: Angela.Habashy@womensasiancup2026.com.au | T: +61 (0) 424 747 049