The three Aussie coaches plotting to take down Matildas at home Asian Cup
It has been 16 years since the Matildas won a major title and Joe Montemurro is hopeful that drought will end at the 2026 Women's Asian Cup, but there are three visiting nations who may have a not-so secret weapon that could spoil Australia's homecoming.
Japan are the only team in the draw for the tournament - which begins on Sunday - that have a higher world rank (ninth) than Australia (15th), and they also have a former Matildas coach on their side.
Leah Blayney has been with the Japanese national team following a short stint as an assistant coach to Tom Sermanni with the Matildas.
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Blayney has made it clear that while she still holds the green and gold jersey close to her heart, she will not let her passion for a rival team get in the way of her current role.
Better yet, Blayney is in no mood to keep secrets from Japanese players about the Matildas, especially when there is not a single player in Montemurro's squad that she is not familiar with.
"I have a job to do with Japan, so any previous experiences or knowledge, of course, we're going to be bringing it to this tournament," she told reporters in London prior to the tournament.
Leah Blayney, former coach of Australia's Young Matildas. FIFA via Getty Images
"We are looking forward to competing with the ambition of winning the Asian Cup."
Not only do they have a higher rank and a former Matildas staffer on their side, but Japan are also the only team competing in Australia that have won a World Cup.
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While they have impressively won two of the last three Asian Cups, China PR holds the records for most titles in the tournament and are eyeing to increase that record to 10.
The man that the Steel Roses have appointed is former Matildas coach Ante Milicic, who lead the girls in the green and gold jerseys to win the Cup of Nations in 2019.
China PR has struggled to lift a trophy since they won the Asian Cup in 2022, having exited the 2023 World Cup in the group stage before failing to qualify for the Olympics.
To add to their woes, Milicic saw the team suffer an 8-0 thrashing at the hands of world No.4 England in an international friendly.
Milicic is not alone in being a manager of a rival national team in the Asian Cup, with former A-League Women coach Mark Torcaso leading the Philippines.
Torcaso has a team of Australian staffers surrounding him, including ex-A-League coaches Garrath McPherson and Riccardo Marchioli. On top of that, he also has George Mcheileh and Lachlan Leong on his support team.
Mark Torcaso (R) congratulates Michelle Heyman after breaking an A-League Women's record. Getty
But there is one man who Torcaso has credited as an influential figure in helping him build his career in the women's game, that is Montemurro.
"He was the person that actually said to me: 'Mark, you know the game quite well. Go out and get your coaching badges and become a coach because you understand the game and you know the game'," Torcaso said, as per football360.com.au.
"I know Joe very well, catch up for a coffee, he lives 15 minutes away from my home. He's a good friend."
It will be a full circle moment for Torcaso when he returns to Australian shores with the Philippines. Better yet, his first game will be against Montemurro's Matildas.
"I don't want to be disrespectful to any Australian, but my job is to represent our country proudly and it's a privilege to have this role," added Torcaso.
"There's no friends once we obviously start the competition and I want to make sure that I'm doing my best for the country that I'm representing right now."
The Matildas will kick off the Asian Cup against the Philippines on Sunday.
Martin Keugler, CEO Football Australia and Joe Montemurro, head coach of the Matildas. Getty
Here is everything you need to know about the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026.
When is the Asian Cup?
The Asian Cup kicks off on home soil this Sunday, March 1, and runs through March 21.
The action begins as the Matildas take on the Philippines in Perth at 5pm local time, 8pm AEDT, with the three-week tournament reaching its thrilling conclusion with the final on March 21.
What is the Matildas' group stage schedule at the Asian Cup?
Times in AEDT
Game one: Philippines, Sunday, March 1, 8pm, Perth Stadium
Game two: IR Iran, Thursday, March 5, 8pm, Gold Coast Stadium
Game three: Korea Republic, Sunday, March 8, 8pm, Stadium Australia
Where will the Asian Cup be played?
Australia is set to host the Asian Cup across five world-class venues in Sydney, Perth and the Gold Coast.
The action kicks off at Perth Stadium with the tournament opener between Australia and the Philippines, while Western Sydney Stadium and Perth Rectangular Stadium serve as the tournament's engine rooms, hosting six pool games each.
In addition to its group stage fixtures, Perth Rectangular Stadium will host two quarter-finals, and Perth Stadium will stage a high-stakes semi-final.
On the Gold Coast, four pool games will lead into the critical World Cup play-offs on March 19, where losing quarter-finalists battle for a direct spot in the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027.
All eyes, however, will be on Stadium Australia; the iconic venue will host the Matildas' final group game on International Women's Day, two quarter-finals, a semi-final, and the final on March 21.
How many teams will compete in the Asian Cup?
Twelve nations are competing in this edition of the Asian Cup.
The teams have been drawn into three groups of four for the opening stage of the tournament.
Group A, featuring the Matildas, will travel from Perth to the Gold Coast before converging in Sydney. Meanwhile, Group B will call Western Sydney Stadium home for the majority of their fixtures, while Group C settles into Perth Rectangular Stadium for most of their campaign.
Group A: Australia, Korea Republic, Philippines and IR Iran
Group B: China PR, DPR Korea, Uzbekistan and Bangladesh
Group C: Japan, Vietnam, India and Chinese Taipei
Notably, Bangladesh is making its tournament debut this year, while China PR enters as the defending champion.
Captain Wang Shanshan of China lifts the Asian Cup trophy. Getty
What is the format of the Asian Cup?
The top two teams from each group, plus the two best third-placed nations, will advance to the knock-out rounds.
Group stage: March 1–10
Quarter-finals: March 13–15
Semi-finals: March 17–18
World Cup play-offs: March 19
Final: March 21
Who is in the Matildas squad for the Asian Cup?
Alanna Kennedy, Alex Chidiac, Amy Sayer, Caitlin Foord, Charlize Rule, Clare Hunt, Clare Wheeler, Courtney Nevin, Ellie Carpenter (vc), Emily Van Egmond, Hayley Raso, Holly McNamara, Jada Whyman, Jamilla Rankin, Kahli Johnson, Kaitlyn Torpey, Katrina Gorry, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Mackenzie Arnold, Mary Fowler, Michelle Heyman, Remy Siemsen, Sam Kerr (c), Steph Catley (vc), Chloe Lincoln, Winonah Heatley
How to watch the Matildas in the Asian Cup?
Every Matildas match will be broadcast live and free-to-air on Network 10 and 10 Play, while every match of the tournament will be available to stream exclusively on Paramount+.
Emily Gielnik celebrates her goal with Matildas teammates during Australia's win over Slovenia. James Worsfold via Getty Images
How often is the Asian Cup staged?
Since 2010, the Asian Cup has been held every four years. However, the 2026 edition will be the last time the tournament follows this exact pattern.
To avoid clashing with other major global tournaments, the AFC has decided to shift the schedule to odd years. This means the next tournament after Australia will be held in only three years, in 2029, before returning to a four-year cycle.
Who are the past winners of the Asian Cup?
The most recent winner of the Asian Cup is China PR, who won the 2022 title in dramatic fashion.
China is the most successful team in the competition's history, hunting a record-extending 10th title, but the trophy has moved around quite a bit over the last 20 years.
2022: China PR
2018: Japan
2014: Japan
2010: Australia
2008: North Korea
2006: China PR
How to purchase tickets to the Asian Cup?
Ticketmaster is the official ticketing partner for the tournament.
Why is the Asian Cup important for the FIFA Women's World Cup?
The Asian Cup doubles as the primary qualifier for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027 in Brazil, with six direct spots up for grabs.
While all four semi-finalists secure their place immediately, the drama continues for the losing quarter-finalists, who move into a play-off bracket to battle for the final two direct qualification spots.
The 2026 edition marks the last time the tournament serves as the direct qualification pathway. For the FIFA Women's World Cup 2031 and beyond, the AFC will move to a standalone qualifying process.
