In 2023, a nation held its breath as the Matildas took on England in the FIFA Women's World Cup semifinal.
What followed wasn't just a gripping match, it became the most-watched television broadcast in Australian history.
A post-tournament social impact report from Football Australia revealed that 44 per cent of the audience comprised men and boys.
For the first time, a women's football game outperformed every other program ever aired in the country, breaking the myth that women's sport only appeals to women.
Former Matilda and lawyer Moya Dodd says we have come a long way in the past decade.
"Ten years ago, no one would have believed it," she told ABC International Development's Women in News and Sport, at the recent RCB Innovation Lab Sports Summit in India.
Women's sport has been marketed primarily to women, and that marketing often focuses on empowerment rather than excellence.
But Dodd said the skill, determination, and passion on display deserves universal respect, regardless of the gender of those on the field.
She said boys were already growing up idolising athletes like Sam Kerr, the same way they do male stars.
"When young boys see professionalised women's sport, they accept it as normal," Dodd said.
"They'll happily wear a jersey with Sam Kerr's name on it.
"There is no social stigma."
WPL tapping in, change still needed
In India, the Women's Premier League (WPL) is emerging as a game-changer.
The second season in 2024 reached more than 103 million TV viewers, with digital platforms like JioCinema drawing millions more. Brands are investing big: Viacom18 signed a $117 million deal for WPL rights, one of the most lucrative ever for a women's league.
But framing isn't the only challenge. Dodd said structural barriers persisted across leadership, infrastructure, and media.
"Sport was built by men, for men, and run by men," Dodd said.
"You can't just retrofit women into those systems. You need to redesign them."
Sarah Walsh, head of women's football at Football Australia, and a former Matildas player, said the Matildas' rise was made possible by constitutional changes in 2018 that brought more women into decision-making roles.
"We wouldn't have had the success we did, equal pay deals, post-World Cup legacy funding, without women in the room deciding where the money goes," she told WINS.
Dodd said although there had been ground made, there were other areas that needed to evolve.
"Storytelling is still skewed toward men's sport," Dodd said.
"We need commentary and coverage that welcomes new audiences, not one that constantly compares women's sport to men's."
She stressed that female voices in broadcast and journalism played a vital role in shaping public perception.
Growth on field translates to growth off it
Both Dodd and Walsh indicated that with the right leadership, inclusive policies, and a reframing of how women's sport was presented, there was significant opportunity for growth and equity.
They both believe growth on the field translates to growing the game off it.
Walsh said infrastructure remained a silent but critical barrier to participation, with a number of community football facilities still not female friendly.
"You're not going to retain girls if they simply can't get dressed," Walsh said.
Meanwhile, teenage dropout rates among girls are high due to issues ranging from lack of safety to body image concerns.
Major events like the Women's World Cup helped boost participation by 20 per cent, but retention is still a hurdle.
Recent trends in viewership and sponsorship suggest that interest in women's sport is not limited by gender. It delivers economic, cultural, and social returns.
With the Matildas' semi-final appearance in 2023 and the growing viewership of WPL, sponsorships have increased, new demographics are being reached, and male audiences are growing across markets.
"Women's sport brings audiences that have come to celebrate inclusion and a sense of social purpose. And this audience includes people of all genders and ages," Dodd said.
Dodd and Walsh believe these developments raise a broader question — no longer whether women's sport has a place, but whether existing structures are prepared to meet the growing potential.
Veechika Durga Pingali is a freelance journalist based in Bengaluru, India, with experience in both journalism and public relations. She has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and enjoys writing about gender, media and sports.
Veechika is part of ABC International Development’s Women in News and Sport Initiative, funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Team Up program.
