The AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 has crossed a major milestone, with more than 250,000 tickets already sold across the tournament. The achievement highlights the growing popularity of women’s football in Australia and across Asia, as fans continue to turn out in large numbers to support the teams competing in the regional championship.
The tournament has already broken the all-time attendance record for the competition, with 92,795 fans attending the first 10 matches. This figure has surpassed the previous record of 59,910 spectators that was set across the entire 2010 AFC Women’s Asian Cup held in China, demonstrating the unprecedented interest in this year’s event.
Matches hosted across Perth, Gold Coast and Sydney have attracted enthusiastic crowds, creating a vibrant atmosphere inside stadiums throughout the tournament. The growing fan engagement reflects the continued rise of women’s football, particularly in Australia where the sport has gained significant momentum in recent years.
The excitement has also extended to television audiences. Australia’s opening two matches drew a combined audience of 2.68 million viewers across Network 10 and Paramount+. With the knockout stages approaching, organisers expect television viewership to remain strong as the tournament moves towards its decisive matches.
Attention now turns to a highly anticipated clash on International Women’s Day, when the Australia women’s national soccer team will face the South Korea women’s national football team at Stadium Australia. The match is on track to produce the largest crowd of the tournament so far, with fans eager to witness one of the competition’s biggest fixtures.
Tickets are still available for the blockbuster encounter, and organisers are encouraging supporters to secure their seats to experience what promises to be one of the defining moments of the tournament. The match is expected to deliver an electric atmosphere as the Matildas aim to continue their strong campaign on home soil.
Sarah Walsh, Chief Operating Officer of the tournament’s organising committee, said the response from fans has been extraordinary. She noted that surpassing a quarter of a million ticket sales so early in the competition demonstrates the remarkable support for women’s football and confirms the tournament is already exceeding expectations for a confederation event.
Government leaders across host states also welcomed the milestone. Reece Whitby, Western Australia’s Minister for Tourism, said the state was proud to contribute to the success of the event, particularly after more than 44,000 fans filled Perth Stadium for the opening match. He emphasised that major sporting events like the Women’s Asian Cup help boost tourism, create local jobs and promote Western Australia globally.
Queensland Minister for the Environment and Tourism Andrew Powell described the milestone as proof that Queensland continues to be a leading destination for major international sporting events. Meanwhile, Chris Minns, Premier of New South Wales, said it was encouraging to see fans turning out in huge numbers, with Sydney preparing to host what could become the biggest crowd of the tournament.
With strong crowds, record-breaking ticket sales and growing global interest, the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 is shaping up to be the most attended and celebrated edition in the history of the tournament.
