The upside for these Matildas winning without Kerr
To say the star power of the Matildas has been lopsided would be an understatement. Exhibit A: Sam Kerr’s roughly 1.3 million-strong audience on Instagram almost equals the rest of the squad’s combined following.
But this FIFA Women’s World Cup is helping to change that. The unexpected sidelining of Kerr through a calf injury for most of the competition so far has shone a global spotlight on the ranks of lesser known Matildas.
Their fame and name recognition among Australians is rising, quite literally, by hundreds of thousands – if not millions – of people a day. Over the past month, each players’ following on Instagram has risen by 27 per cent, on average.
Sam Kerr and Emily van Egmond during a training session on Friday.
The Matildas’ victory over Denmark on Monday was watched by more Australians – 3.63 million on average – than any of the rugby league State of Origin games or last year’s NRL and AFL grand finals. Caitlin Foord and Hayley Raso’s goals made them instant household names, as did Mary Fowler’s assist, which was hailed as a “sublime” moment of football.
Saturday’s quarter-final against France at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane is tracking to be significantly bigger than Monday. The Melbourne Cricket Ground, Sydney Cricket Ground, Rod Laver Arena and Sydney Olympic Park will broadcast the game in what has been described as an “unprecedented move by the most iconic sporting stadiums across the country”.
Channel Seven and the AFL announced changed bounce times for the MCG’s 7.30pm Carlton and Melbourne game to accommodate the World Cup. Seven’s sport chief, Lewis Martin, said it would be the biggest night of sport since the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
“It’s a Women’s World Cup. It’s a great platform for the team
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