Australia’s national women’s football team, the CommBank Matildas, have suffered a last-minute injury setback ahead of their opening 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification matches in Africa, with star left-back Steph Catley forced to withdraw from the squad due to a calf strain. The Arsenal defender will not be replaced for the team’s upcoming fixtures, which mark their first international outing since a devastating runner-up finish at the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
Catley, one of the Matildas’ most influential and experienced leaders, became a national hero in 2023 when she slotted the decisive penalty to secure Australia’s opening win against the Republic of Ireland at the home Women’s World Cup. Her standing in the global game was further cemented last season when she earned a nomination for the Ballon d’Or Feminin, finishing 29th in the rankings — making her just the third Australian player in history to receive a nomination for the sport’s most prestigious individual award. Most recently, she started in Australia’s narrow 1-0 Asian Cup final loss to Japan last month.
Catley is not the only high-profile name absent from the squad. Star attacking midfielder Mary Fowler, who recently made her long-awaited return to international football at the Asian Cup following a season-ending knee injury in 2025, was not included in the original roster for the African tour. The Matildas will kick off their qualification campaign with a clash against Malawi on Saturday 26 April, kicking off at 9pm AEST, before facing either India or Kenya in the second round of the series the following week.
Despite the double blow of key absences, head coach Joe Montemurro has retained a largely experienced core of players for the international window, led by the team’s talismanic goal-scoring forward Sam Kerr. Montemurro explained that his selection strategy focused on maintaining continuity as the team builds toward the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
“Continuity is the most important thing for us right now. We need to build on the systems and structures we’ve put in place against different styles of opposition,” Montemurro said. “For me, it was critical to lay a solid foundation for consistent performances moving forward. This window gives me the chance to test different combinations, make targeted adjustments, and put the work in to prepare properly for the World Cup. We’re working to the benchmark we’ve already set as a group.
“That’s why it was a strategic call to bring the bulk of the existing squad back together. It’s been great to see how eager the players are to return and keep building on the work we’ve started.”
The two African fixtures formally open the Matildas’ qualification journey for the 2027 World Cup, where the side will aim to replicate or even improve on their historic 2023 home World Cup run, when they reached the semi-finals, captured the attention of the entire nation, drew record-breaking crowds and delivered unprecedented TV viewing numbers for women’s sport in Australia. All matches will be broadcast live on Paramount+ Australia.