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

I have never been one to gripe about the mainstream media holding back the plight of football with its regional support for the Australian Football League and National Rugby League at the expense of football.

As a student of society, I have always observed Australia’s evolving and eclectic sporting tastes, as should be common sense in any evolving and dynamic liberal democracy that has become more progressive in many ways.

A larger and more diverse population in a relatively wealthy country should have an interest in a variety of sports, as has proven to be the case in Australia where each football code generates significant public interest in all states and territories.

Australia has come a long way since the 1970s when football was often described as wogball, Melbournians described the rugby codes as open air wrestling, and the northern states (NSW and Queensland) viewed Australian Rules as aerial ping pong.

In the 1970s, few would have foreseen Melbourne hosting a rugby league team, and likewise  Sydney and Brisbane having AFL teams.

Of course, attitudes about different sports still exist.

Here at the gym where I work, I have been amazed at the lack of interest in the women’s WC, even from the few who like football most.

It is sad that many would have no interest in the female contribution to football (and sport).

However, recognising my own shortcomings and changing attitudes over the years, thankfully overcoming unjustified generalisations as I stay open to learning and new ideas, I fully understand why some people remain tied to one sport at the expense of all others as we can often remain stubborn or diehard with our views and interests.

As humans, many of us still have strong opinions on the importance of materialism, fashion, religion, culture, sexuality, material attitudes, political affiliations, and just about everything.    

Yet, even if one acknowledges the obvious reality that women are generally slower and less powerful, the skills demonstrated in the WC have been spectacular and the games exciting to watch.   

Many of us, however, have managed to move beyond our ties to the status quo of enjoying one or two sports, one Winter and one Summer.