Matildas get free-to-air TV deal
The Matildas' World Cup feats have helped secure a free-to-air television deal for their Rio Olympics qualifiers in Japan starting next month.
The five matches in the final qualifying round will be shown on the Seven Network after Football Federation Australia sealed a first-ever free-to-air commercial television deal for the Australian women's team.
FFA boss David Gallop said it was welcome reward for the Matildas after they became the first Australian senior team to reach the quarter-finals of a football World Cup in Canada last year.
Ironically, the Matildas start their quest to qualify for this year's Rio Games with a match against Japan, who knocked them out of the Women's World Cup with a 1-0 win in the quarter-finals.
That match will be broadcast on 7mate and streamed on Plus7 live from 9.30pm AEDT on February 29.
The Matildas also play Vietnam (March 2), South Korea (March 4), North Korea (March 7) and China (9 March) with the top two teams to represent the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) at the Rio Olympics.
