The 2026 Women's Asian Cup begins on 1 March in Australia, with the Matildas kicking off their campaign against the Philippines in Perth. The tournament, second only to the World Cup in prestige for Australia, runs until the final on 21 March at Stadium Australia.
Australia are in Group A alongside Korea Republic, Iran and the Philippines. The top two teams from each group and the two best third-placed finishers advance to the quarter-finals. Matildas coach Joe Montemurro has selected a 26-player squad including Mary Fowler, who is returning from an ACL injury, and Sam Kerr, who has recently regained form after a two-year layoff due to a ruptured ACL.
Host cities are Perth, Sydney and the Gold Coast. Stadium Australia will host the Matildas' third group game and knockout matches. Tickets are still available. In Australia, matches can be watched on Network 10/10Play or streamed on Paramount+.
Despite a disappointing quarter-final exit in 2022, the Matildas hope to improve under Montemurro. However, they face tough competition from top-ranked Japan and have struggled against lower-ranked teams like Iran. The team's form has been inconsistent since their fourth-place finish at the 2023 World Cup.
