Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has thrown his support behind the idea of declaring a public holiday in the event of the national team’s victory in the Women’s World Cup.
The Matildas, who are competing in the tournament as co-hosts alongside New Zealand, have secured a place in the semi-finals following a thrilling penalty shootout triumph against France on Saturday.
Notably, goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold’s heroic performance included saving three penalty kicks after previously missing one herself.
Their upcoming match against European champions England is scheduled for Wednesday in Sydney and is anticipated to set new records for soccer viewership on Australian television.
“I’ve said that the state and territory leaders should consider it and I know that it’s received a pretty warm reception in most quarters,” Albanese said in a radio interview with state broadcaster ABC when asked if calls for a public holiday were justified.
“This is something much more than just a sporting event. This is an inspiration to young girls in particular, but also young boys.”
Due to Australia’s federal structure, the authority to establish additional public holidays resides with its individual states and territories. In light of this, Anthony Albanese mentioned that discussions regarding this matter are slated for Wednesday when he engages with regional leaders.
Chris Minns, who leads New South Wales, the nation’s most populous state, has made a commitment to declare a public holiday within a week of the final should the Matildas secure victory.
Soccer has traditionally played second fiddle to other more prominent football codes like rugby league and Australian rules in Australia. The women’s soccer game, in particular, has grappled with challenges such as sparse attendance and insufficient funding.
However, the Matildas’ participation in the World Cup has been a game-changer, with tickets for their matches selling out months ahead of time. The viewership numbers both at the stadiums and through television broadcasts have reached levels not witnessed since the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
In 1983, then-Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke effectively declared a national public holiday after an Australian crew ended 132 years of US dominance of the America’s Cup sailing race, famously saying that “any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up today is a bum”.