The NSW Government has commissioned a giant mural at Stadium Australia to celebrate the Matildas’ historic success at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.
The permanent mural will capture some of the Matildas’ greatest moments during the tournament, serving as a permanent reminder of how the team’s run at this World Cup captured the imagination of the nation and inspired the next generation of female athletes.
“NSW is the home of women’s sport in Australia, and this is about recognising the moments the Matildas’ brought our nation to a standstill,” NSW Premier Chris Minns said.
“The Matildas’ campaign captured the imagination of Australia and the footballing world. I’m proud to announce that they will be permanently celebrated with a mural in their honour at Stadium Australia.
“Mary Fowler, Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Mackenzie Arnold joined Samantha Kerr as household names and put the world on notice that Australia is a football nation.”
The artwork will be installed on the external façade of the eastern side of Accor Stadium, closest to Olympic Park train station.
It is also the grandstand that will soon be named in honour of a female sporting legend.
More than 600,000 people attended the 11 FIFA Women’s World Cup matches in NSW, while hundreds of thousands more attended live sites around Sydney and NSW to cheer the Matildas throughout the tournament.
The project will be delivered by Venues NSW, which manages State’s major sporting and entertainment venues in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong.
Venues NSW will work with the advisory team that brought the Allianz Stadium public art project to life, overseeing a tender process in line with NSW Government procurement requirements.
“The achievements of the Matildas at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023TM will live on not only in our memories but also at Stadium Australia where they created history,” Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said.
“It will be a daily reminder to the 10 million people who visit Sydney Olympic Park each year of the greatest FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament in history and how the whole nation got behind the Matildas.”
The mural will be funded from an existing Budget allocation.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.