Tillies return to Adelaide
The Matildas will return to Adelaide for their last game of the year, but at a smaller venue than their last visit. A star player is likely to return to the expected sellout game.
The Matildas are set to play New Zealand at Coopers Stadium for their last game of the year, Football Australia representative Carl Veart and the SA Tourism Minister announced today.
The 16,500-capacity sporting venue is expected to sell out the upcoming December 2 game, especially after the Matildas played to a record crowd of 52,912 at Adelaide Oval in May last year.
“At a game like that we should be able to accommodate most [fans] but they’ve just got to get in early and we assume they will,” Adelaide Venue Management CEO Martin Radcliffe said today.
The match is the second in an international series against New Zealand’s Football Ferns, as they prepare for the 2026 Asian Cup and Veart said star player Sam Kerr is expected to play the Adelaide game.
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The Matildas legend has just returned to Chelsea, scoring her 100th goal with the UK Club last month, after a 20-month rehabilitation from an ACL tear.
She was expected to play her first game back with Australia’s national squad against Wales on Sunday, followed by a game against England later this month with hopes she would remain on the lineup for Adelaide’s match.
“It’s going to be great to have the girls in our state to be able to see the best players in the world, Sam Kerr will be back again, most probably in the team,” Veart said.
Coopers Stadium last hosted the Matildas in November 2019, in an international friendly against Chile and years before the team’s following reached fever pitch as they placed fourth in the 2023 World Cup.
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Current Football SA Director and former Matilda Sacha Wainwright joined Radcliffe, Football Australia representative Carl Veart and the Tourism Minister for today’s announcement.
“I played out here in 2000 with the Matildas before the Sydney Olympics. So it brings back, for me, I guess, that feeling of the pride and joy of what it feels like to wear the green and gold,” she said.
“The Matildas have such a rich history against New Zealand, I think it’s over 50 games that we’ve or they’ve, played over the journey since the 70s, and it’s a fierce rivalry, like we see with a lot of other codes.
“It was always a very tough, physical battle, so that’ll be a fantastic opponent to have out here in December.”
Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison said hosting the match further cements South Australia in the international sporting calendar.
“The CommBank Matildas have captured the hearts of Australians in recent years, and we know South Australian fans will once again come out in droves to welcome them here in Adelaide,” she said.
Tickets for the match will go on sale to Football Australia members at 10am ACDT on Thursday October 23, with general sale at 2pm Friday.
