Matildas Olympic qualifiers: Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas leads calls for October fixtures to be relocated from HBF Park

The Matildas, led by home-grown captain Sam Kerr, are set to play three games against Iran, Chinese Taipei and the Philippines at HBF Park - with a capacity of 20,500, roughly one-third of that of Optus Stadium - between October 26 and November 1 on the path to Paris 2024.

The matches will be the Matildas’ first in Australia post-World Cup.

Tickets for the three-game series are expected to sell out following the overwhelming success of the Tillies, yet the WA government has so far ruled out moving the games to Optus Stadium and its 60,000 capacity.

“HBF Park is a world class rectangular venue best suited for football games and will provide fans with unparalleled proximity to the action, creating an amazing atmosphere for our Matildas and fans,” a government spokesperson told CODE Sports. “There are no current plans to change venue.”

But Zempilas, who granted Kerr the keys to the city of Perth last year, believes the Matildas could comfortably attract 180,000 fans over the three games in Perth.

“There has never been a better time to have the Matildas come to town. I have absolutely no doubt that we could fill Optus Stadium three times over if all three fixtures were moved to Optus Stadium,” Zempilas told CODE Sports.

“If conditions and other bookings allow for it, we should be trying to move those matches to Optus Stadium. The whole point of bringing the Matildas to Perth to play these three Olympic Qualifiers is for people to see them play. Doesn’t it, therefore, stand to reason that we want as many people in Perth to see them play as possible?”

“I’m certain that just like Coldplay and any of those other unique events we’ve been privileged enough to get to Optus Stadium, people would travel to see the Matildas because just like us, many people missed out on seeing them.

“The opportunity to have 180,000 people see them is there and we should be going for it. We may never get an opportunity as red hot as this one.”

Zempilas applauded the WA government’s decision to bid for the Olympic qualifiers knowing the Matildas were likely to exceed expectations at the World Cup.

“Perth deserved to see the Matildas during the World Cup as well but we weren’t afforded that opportunity,” he said. “Let’s not forget that Sam Kerr, the best player in the world, the captain of the Australian team, is a Perth girl. Sam Kerr is synonymous with Perth and alongside Daniel Ricciardo, she is our most loved and most internationally well-known Western Australian athlete.”

“Because our state had the foresight to realise just how popular the Matildas were going to be off the back of a home World Cup, we went and got the next three matches available as close to the World Cup as possible to Perth.

“That’s what our government did and what the other governments around the country didn’t do. Bad lack other states. Well played Western Australia.”

Optus Stadium is understood to be available to host the Matildas’ series given drop-in cricket pitches are not due to be installed until late November.

FIFA took the unprecedented step of moving the Matildas’ first World Cup game against Ireland from the newly rebuilt Sydney Football Stadium to Stadium Australia after huge demand for tickets.

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The Matildas sold out both their games in Sydney, announcing a capacity crowd of 75,784 for Wednesday night’s semi-final clash with England.

The last time the Matilda’s played in Perth in 2018, 7,549 fans attended a 5-0 defeat of Thailand. But Western Australia has embraced the 2023 FIFA women’s World Cup with an average of 17,056 fans attending the five group stage matches in Perth, including a women’s football record crowd of 17,897 between Haiti and Denmark.

Optus Stadium has hosted football matches before, most recently welcoming English Premier League giants Tottenham and West Ham in July. Last year, 58,228 fans attended a marquee clash between Manchester United and Aston Villa. And in 2019, 56,371 fans watched the A-League grand final between Perth Glory and Sydney FC.