Women's World Cup Matildas pave way for $200 million funding boost women's sport - ESPN

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the Women's World Cup has «changed sport in Australia forever» as he detailed a $200 million boost for women's sport and an overhaul of broadcast rules.

Mr Albanese said the Matildas had given Australians «a moment of national inspiration» as he announced the funding for the Play Our Way program in Brisbane on Saturday.

He also announced the appointment of an expert panel of former female athletes to help design the program, including Liz Ellis, Lauren Jackson, Madison de Rozario and Tal Karp.

«This is an important announcement, so that women and girls everywhere in Australia can have the facilities and the support that they need to choose a sport that they love and to be able to participate,» Mr Albanese said.

«We are going to see an explosion in participation in sport, and that is why this $200 million will make a difference.»

The investment comes after Matildas captain Sam Kerr called for more money to help develop grassroots soccer in Australia after the historic Women's World Cup semifinal appearance.

The funding will be available to upgrade facilities and provide equipment, specifically for women and girls, in a bid to get more into sport.

The program will be available for all sports but soccer, as the most played game in Australia, will take up significant resourcing.

Applications for program grants are expected to open by early 2024.

Sports Minister Anika Wells said providing safer facilities was vital.

«Too often women and girls are changing in men's bathrooms, wearing hand me down boys uniforms, playing with men's equipment on poor fields that boys teams wouldn't train on,» she said.

The government will also clarify its position on the future of the