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It’s been an absolutely spectacular month for sport in Australia, with the Formula 1 Grand Prix drawing record crowds, the AFL premiership season kicking off, and the AFC Women’s Asian Cup smashing attendance records from Perth to the Gold Coast and Sydney.
The 2026 Asia-Pacific soccer tournament has already surpassed 300,000 ticket sales, obliterating the previous record of 59,910 set across the entire 2010 Cup in China. But it’s only getting bigger and better from here.
On Saturday, March 21, Australia’s very own Matildas will take on Japan in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 grand final, chasing their first Asian Cup win in 16 years. Led by superstar Sam Kerr, the Tillies beat China 2-1 in a nail-biting semi, while 2018 champions Japan stormed into the final with a 4-1 win over South Korea.
According to research by MATCH Hospitality, 72 per cent of Aussies tipped the Matildas to make the final, with 70 per cent backing them to win! ARIA Award-winning Aussie artist G Flip will make a headline performance at the closing ceremony, shaping it up to be one of the biggest nights in Australian sport this year. Here’s everything you need to know about watching the AFC Women’s World Cup 2026 final in Australia, including how to get tickets.
When do the Matildas play next?
Australia's Matildas will play Nadeshiko Japan in the AFC Women’s World Cup 2026 final on Saturday, March 21 at 8pm AEST at Stadium Australia in Sydney. The two sides have met in the Asian Cup final twice before – and on both occasions (2014 and 2018), Japan walked away with the victory.
What time is the Matildas game?
You can tune in at:
- 8pm AEDT – ACT, NSW, VIC, TAS
- 7.30pm ACDT – SA
- 7pm AEST – QLD
- 6.30pm ACST – NT
- 5pm AWST – WA
Where can I watch the Matildas?
If you can’t make it to Sydney for the game or missed out on tickets, you can still watch the AFC Women’s Asian Cup live on Network 10 and Paramount+. You can also tune in on the radio via ABC Sport and ABC Listen.
How to get tickets to the Matildas?
Tickets to the grand final at Sydney’s Stadium Australia are still available from $50 via Ticketmaster – but they’re selling fast, so you’ll want to nab yours quickly.
According to MATCH Hospitality, the average willingness to pay for a sold-out final sits at $647.90 – which we reckon is better spent levelling up your experience. Think DJs, premium seating, private bars, gourmet food and more.
Starting from $459 per person, you can relax in the Open Box, where you’ll score premium match views and in-seat service with deli-style food and drinks delivered straight to you (no halftime queue stress here). One level up is the MATCH Club (from $665), which is a shared hospitality experience with premium seating, lounge screens, chef-station dishes and a broad selection of bevvies. For the absolute best experience, go all out with a Private Suite (from $997), offering private outdoor seating, curated dining, premium drinks, and extended service before, during and after the match. You can explore more packages here.
Who won the last AFC Women’s Asian Cup?
China was the champion of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022, with South Korea finishing second and Japan securing third place.
What did Australia come at the last AFC Women’s Asian Cup?
The Matildas finished 7th in the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, with their only tournament victory in 2010.