Matildas' MCG dream crushed in major announcement about Olympic qualifier
The Matildas Olympic qualifier will be played at Melbourne's Marvel Stadium in February.
The Matildas' hopes of filling up the MCG for their Olympic qualifier against Uzbekistan have been dashed with Football Australia confirming the home tie will be played at Melbourne's Marvel Stadium instead. The match will take place four days after the away leg in Uzbekistan, with the winner to be decided on goal difference.
Matildas star Steph Catley had called for the match to be played at the premier Melbourne ground but there are said to be concerns over the ground not being fit for use. This is largely due to pop megastar Taylor Swift being booked to perform at the 100,000-seat stadium on February 16 and 18, just more than a week before the Matildas scheduled match with Uzbekistan.
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After Matildas mania swept the nation at the Women's World Cup, Football Australia moved Olympic qualifiers to larger stadiums as the matches were repeated sellouts. FA chief executive James Johnson told Channel Nine last month that the prospect of playing the home leg at the 100,000-capacity stadium was "exciting … and we'd fancy our chances to sell it out". However, it wasn't to be and fans were quick to take to social media to voice their displeasure.
Re the venue for the Matildas Olympics home Qualifier:
I'll admit that it's disappointing it's not at the MCG, but it'll do.
Now let's get the job done and send this team to Paris.#Matildas— William Caldwell (@Will_Caldwell10) December 17, 2023
3 days after a Pink concert in the same venue?
— Chris (@Chris57421662) December 18, 2023
blown away that the matildas can’t play at the mcg bc taylor swift is like ????? two events featuring women requiring 100k capacity stadiums actually scrambles my brain in the best way
— caitlin 🌈 (@astrocaitlins) December 17, 2023
The match to decide the Matildas' Olympic fate will be held at Marvel Stadium, a stadium Johnson believes is almost certain to sell out. "In 2023, we witnessed the special connection between the Matildas and the Australian public with 11 straight sold-out home matches and record broadcast audiences," Johnson said.
"We are confident that we will build on that connection in 2024 and this fan fervour will be a vital factor when we welcome the team for the first home international of the year against Uzbekistan. The fierce backing of Victorians was evident in 2023 and we are looking forward to seeing them, and fans from across the country, come out again in full force in another pivotal match for the Matildas."
Matildas confident of maiden Olympic medal
The Matildas' chances of a maiden Olympic medal received a massive boost last month after the two teams that prevented them from getting a top-three place at this year's Women's World Cup were knocked out in qualifying. Both Sweden and the United States are out and Matildas goalkeeper Lydia Williams believes this is their best chance to finally win an Olympic medal at the 12-team tournament.
"We have a taste of it,' Lydia Williams said. It's almost like you smell the aroma in the air and you definitely want to know what that actually feels like. We are really close and it's just about the final game, the final push. Having that experience of what it is to not reach that, I think that's just going to spur us on to want to get to that point."
At the Tokyo Olympics, the Matildas fell painfully short of an Olympic medal losing to Sweden but they will not be there to compete at the Paris Games after failing to qualify for the the first time. Great Britain has also missed a place in the finals.
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