The free public fansites where you can watch Matildas v England in the World Cup semi-final

The nation's eyes will be on the Matildas tonight when they take on England in the semi-final after a breathtaking penalty shootout captivated the country on the weekend.

A win would see the side advance to their first-ever World Cup final after they already made history by making it to the semi-finals for the first time after a gripping match in Brisbane on Saturday night.

If the Matildas win the World Cup, they will each receive $400,000 in prize money.

You can see a full list of places to view the Matildas vs England semi-final below.

There's even a promise of a public holiday from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese if the side takes home the top prize, but it's up to each state as to whether it will go ahead.

This is all the information you need to know about the crucial fixture, including when it starts, where it's being played, and how you can watch it.

READ MORE: How to get free tickets for cinema screenings of Matildas v England

When is the Matildas vs England Women's World Cup semi-final?

The Matildas' semi-final against England will kick-off at 8pm on Wednesday, August 16 (AEST) at Stadium Australia in Sydney.

This means a start time of 7.30pm in South Australia and Darwin and 6pm in Western Australia.

The match duration could finish around 9pm but it will be extended depending on extra time and penalties.

Sydneysiders attending the match are being warned of traffic chaos as 100,000 fans are expected to descend on Sydney Olympic Park, due to a Luke Combs concert being held at Qudos Bank Arena next door.

READ MORE: Matilda's create $7.6 billion economic boost across country

Where can you watch it?

There are a range of live sites where fans can gather to watch the match with hundreds of other supporters on the big screen, including the official FIFA Fan Festivals in each of the tournament's Australian host cities.

In Sydney, the Fan Festival is at Tumbalong Park, while Melbourne's is at Federation Square and Brisbane's is at South Bank, Adelaide's at Festival Plaza and Perth's is held at Forrest Place.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has confirmed AAMI Park will screen the match after opening up Rod Laver Arena on Saturday night.

"Big game needs a bigger stadium," Andrews tweeted.

"AAMI Park. Wednesday night. Be there."

NSW Premier Chris Minns confirmed Western Sydney Stadium in Parramatta and Sydney Football Stadium in Moore Park would open up for fans to watch on the big screen.

The Sydney Opera House sails will also be lit up green and gold on Wednesday night from 5.50pm.

Meanwhile, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed Brisbane's Riverstage will host a live broadcast of the semi-final.

The World Cup has sold 1.75 million tickets across the tournament's 64 games in Australia and New Zealand.

And you can watch the match on Optus Sport, which has the rights to every game of the 2023 tournament.