The 2023 women’s World Cup shows Australia’s love of football and our maturity as a nation

We recognise the beauty of sport diversity and the natural choice of consumers to support whatever sport and event they like as spectators and/or participants.  

I also understand why Channel 7 only televised the Australian matches, a few other select games, and most of the finals with Optus televising the rest.

But the success of the WC in terms of ratings will ensure that no major networks will ignore bids for the men’s World Cup, big international matches, and perhaps our main domestic leagues in the future.  

The reality is that Australia’s support of football has evolved greatly over the years, perhaps reaching its brightest moment on Saturday night when the AFL commentary were almost ecstatic at the success of our Matildas.

Joyous scenes at the rugby league and AFL Matches that night were expressed by thousands of sport loving fans.  

Gone are the days when a relatively paltry 20,000 was all that attended a vital WC qualifier, as was the case when Australia hosted Scotland at Olympic Park in 1985 with the largely southern European backgrounds proudly supporting Australia in the 0-0 draw, albeit to be mocked by some Scottish fans as wogs simply because they could not handle the result against a supposed non-football nation. raw.

Such a WC qualifier match today, and now for several decades, does generate a near sell-out at the larger Australian city stadiums.

Australia’s love of football did not happen overnight, and owes much to our changing attitudes and contribution of important players over the years.

I remember World of Sport also giving football some exposure, despite their larrikin digs at the sport.

I loved the kicking for distance competitions between players from Australian Rules, rugby and football.  

Sometimes simple tokens of exposure can make a difference to those young Australians wanting to fit in and not being made to feel different because they like a less popular sport.

I, as a little athlete, was wrapped when the famous AFL player and coach David Parkin attended our athletic centre when I was 11 or 12.