As the Australia v England World Cup game looms, the Matildas smash records

The Matildas celebrate their victory in the epic penalty shoot-out against France.

Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Call it soccer or football, the Australian women’s team is on an unprecedented run in the World Cup.

Who are they? The Matildas are Australia’s national women’s soccer team, and have been surpassing expectations — even beyond the historic progress to the semi-finals in the Women’s World Cup.

• Their matches in the World Cup have been smashing Australian viewership records: the quarter final win against France on the weekend was the most watched TV event this year, and the most watched sporting event down under in 18 years.

What’s the big deal? Aside from the sheer vibes from a good game of sport? Well, the Matildas are proving that they can succeed far beyond just their athletic capabilities.

• As NPR’s Diaa Hadid has reported from the ground in Australia, stadiums to see the team play are continually selling out, and public viewing areas are reaching capacity whenever the Matildas are on.
• The hubbub for their Saturday game against France was so big it delayed a major men’s game from the AFL – Australia’s most popular football code – to ensure no overlap.
• Some longtime observers say this swell of support marks a shift from a culture of skepticism towards the viability of women’s sports as national entertainment, and comes with a bittersweet tinge.

• Author and academic Fiona Crawford shared that for a women’s invitational World Cup 35 years ago, the players stitched their own logos onto hand-me-down men’s jerseys, and funded their trip with bake sales.
• A turning point came in 2015, when the women went on strike, forcing sports officials to pay attention. A few…