Matildas fever

In the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, the performance of the Australia women's national soccer team (nicknamed "the Matildas") captivated nationwide attention and had a significant ongoing impact on the perception of women's sport in Australia. Some media outlets used the terms Matildas fever to describe the community spirit on display, and Matildas effect to express the team's impact.

Throughout the tournament, more kits representing the Australian women's team were sold than for the national men's team ("the Socceroos"), for the first time. Every match featuring Australia sold out before the World Cup began. Australian TV viewership records were broken several times, with live viewing sites set up in major stadiums to cope with crowds growing each game. The Australia vs. England semi-final became the most-watched broadcast in Australian history, with 11.15 million watching on the Seven Network. It was the furthest an Australian soccer team had advanced in a World Cup.

As a direct result of the Matildas' success, the Australian government pledged $200 million to improve women's sporting facilities. In the 2024 winter soccer season, clubs around the country reported a record number of registrations for female players, with a 34 percent increase compared to the year prior. This influx of new members overwhelmed many regional soccer clubs.