The announcement includes a plan toguarantee more free-to-air broadcasts of women’s sports after much of the World Cup was hidden by a paywall.
“This is about making sure that the next generation of Sam Kerrs and Mackenzie Arnolds get not just applause,as Mackenzie and Sam have,but they get the infrastructure and facilities that they need,” Albanese said on Saturday.
Football figures,including Matildas captain Kerr,have been calling for the government to match its game-day barracking with tangible backing in the form of grassroots funding.
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The government media release does not specify the funding is for soccer,meaning it may disappoint football figures who argue the sport has been underfunded by governments for decades.
However,it does state that “soccer,as the highest participation sport in Australia,will need significant resourcing in the wake of the greatest Women’s World Cup ever”.
The Matildas,Albanese said,“have given us a moment of national inspiration,this is about seizing that opportunity for the next generation”.