Experienced CommBank Matildas forward Hayley Raso said that the team wanted to “put on a show” at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026™ on home soil.
Under the style of play implemented by Head Coach Joe Montemurro, she said that they would look to entertain and – hopefully – lift a trophy at the end of the tournament.
“It's about putting on a show, isn't it?” she said on Tuesday morning.
“We're footballers at the end of the day. We're all individuals. We have individual talents, and I think that's what makes us special, and that's what makes us a unique team. So winning games, scoring goals, and making it an enjoyable one for the fans.”
She arrived in Perth this week from Germany, where she has been playing her club football for Eintracht Frankfurt.
“We love being in camp, so we're all really happy to be back here and get the show started,” she said.
Raso was a big part of the team that took Australia by storm at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™. She said that it’s a privilege to be able to play another major tournament on home soil and hopefully inspire the nation in the same way.
“I look back at the World Cup and think about what a special and exciting time that was,” she said.
“The way the Australian public took to us, the way we performed in that tournament with the fans behind us. It still gives me goosebumps - it was so special.
“So to think that we have the chance to be able to do that again, we have the goal of knowing what we want to do and what we want to achieve, [which is] to put on a good performance for the public and really perform well for ourselves as well.”
The team’s explosion in popularity since 2023 has come with it additional outside pressure and expectation. For Raso, the team will be drawing more than enough inspiration from within themselves and the group to perform.
“The expectations are high, and a lot of people want us to do well,” she said.
“We’re probably our own harshest critics, and we want ourselves to do well. I wouldn't say that we feel pressure to perform, but we love the pressure. We love performing here in Australia. We love having the fans behind us. We want to win games, so I think that's what pushes us the most.”
The important thing, however, is to take things one game at a time – starting with the Philippines in Perth on March 1.
“We kind of take it one game at a time,” she explained. “The first game that we have here against the Philippines is the most important at the moment.”
“We know that all the games are going to be tough. We know that Korea is a tough opponent; we played against them last time out. So I think knowing what we have to come it's always at the back of our mind. But most importantly, we're looking at that first game.”
AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™
CommBank Matildas v Philippines
Date: Sunday, 1 March 2026
Venue: Perth Stadium, Perth
Time: 5:00pm AWST/8:00pm AEDT
Broadcast: Network 10, 10 Play and Paramount+
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IR Iran v CommBank Matildas
Date: Thursday, 5 March 2026
Venue: Gold Coast Stadium, Gold Coast
Time: 7:00pm AEST/8:00pm AEDT
Broadcast: Network 10, 10 Play and Paramount+
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CommBank Matildas v Korea Republic
Date: Sunday, 8 March 2026
Venue: Stadium Australia, Sydney
Time: 8:00pm AEDT
Broadcast: Network 10, 10 Play and Paramount+
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