Image: Women's Soccer team the Matildas playing at Accor Stadium. Image: Accor Stadium/Twitter
By JUSTIN COOPER
The state government has announced plans of a permanent mural at Stadium Australia, to commemorate the Matildas soccer team’s performance during the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
On Sunday, Premier Chris Minns and Minister for Sport Steve Kamper announced the plans ahead of the World Cup final, between Spain and England.
Despite loosing to Sweden on Saturday night, the Matilda’s performance on the world stage placed them as one of the top teams in the league and has made players household names.
Honouring Matilda’s impact
Minns credited the soccer team for bringing the nation together and declaring Australia as a “football nation.”
“NSW is the home of women’s sport in Australia, and this is about recognising the moments the Matildas’ brought our nation to a standstill,” says Minns.
“The Matildas’ campaign captured the imagination of Australia and the footballing world. I’m proud to announce that they will be permanently celebrated with a mural in their honour at Stadium Australia.”
Kamper continued to speak on the team’s success, saying the government aims to continue honouring “elite female athletes” and the Matilda’s legacy through the mural.
“It will be a daily reminder to the 10 million people who visit Sydney Olympic Park each year of the greatest FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament in history and how the whole nation got behind the Matildas,” says Kamper.
The stadium where the Matildas made history in so many ways, is getting a huge Matildas mural.
This giant mural that we're commissioning at Stadium Australia will celebrate their historic success. pic.twitter.com/XrFSJh73bQ
— Chris Minns (@ChrisMinnsMP) August 19, 2023
The mural will be placed on the external facade of Accor Stadium, facing towards Olympic Park station.
Along with the mural celebrating the women’s soccer team, the government is expected to announce a new name for the stadium in honour of an Australian female sporting legend.
The funding towards the mural was allocated as a part of the state government’s budget to upgrade the Olympic Park Stadium.
Ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the stadium had received $80 million in capital work upgrades.
Venue NSW will organise the artwork and its installation, and work with the advisory team that completed the Allianz Stadium public art project.
Criticisms follow announcement
Posting the plan to social media, the Minns Government received criticism for spending money towards the mural rather than other sporting and economic initiatives.
Comments on Twitter and Facebook, call for funding towards expanding women and youth sporting opportunities and support initiatives surrounding the current cost-of-living crisis.
One Facebook commenter said, “As proud as we all are – and I think the team would agree – that money could be spent upgrading facilities for young athletes and creating better pathway programs.”
Additional commenters requested the government put the funding towards upgrading public soccer fields or provide additional support towards the NSW Active Kids program.
Many also criticised the ongoing negotiations between the government and the NSW Teachers Federation, surrounding pay and workload.
One quote-tweet on Twitter said, “I love the Matildas but tomorrow teachers return to another week of understaffed schools after another weekend of unpaid work. Enough already!”
I love the Matildas but tomorrow teachers return to another week of understaffed schools after another weekend of unpaid work. Enough already! #HonourTheDeal https://t.co/cL81BGDGzG
— Kelly Livingston (@klivingston9) August 20, 2023
The hashtag ‘HonourTheDeal’, which started in response to the government stepping away from pay-rise negotiations, was commented on Minns’ social media posts by multiple users.
It is currently unknown how much the artwork will cost, or when the mural is expected to be unveiled.
