The Commonwealth Bank Matildas will not be undertaking activity in the February FIFA Window following consultation with players and staff early in the new year.
While the international match schedule for 2022 was committed to with the Commonwealth Bank Matildas activating in every FIFA Window available, the decision was made prior to the commencement of the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup that the February plans would not go ahead.
Football Australia CEO, James Johnson, said the decision was made with the wellbeing of players and staff as the primary driver.
“We are committed to providing the Commonwealth Bank Matildas with the full support and resources required to be in assembly to prepare for major tournaments over the coming years,” Johnson said.
“In this pandemic era, this preparation has meant that the team have played 80 percent of their matches overseas and that has slowly taken a toll on some of the playing group and, just as importantly, the staff who support them all year round.”
“Since the national teams came back online in April 2021, we have always maintained that the health and welfare of our players and staff would be at the forefront of our decision making and, in this instance, we have made the decision not to assemble with that in mind.”
“With the Australian quarantine periods in 2021, the bio-secure bubbles in which they operate, we have been immensely proud of how the national teams have conducted themselves under these strict conditions. We want to ensure they can continue to be best prepared mentally and physically for a big 18 months ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™.”
Australia joins the majority of AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022™ participants who will not activate in the February window following the completion of the continental championships.
Information on future activity, including plans for the April FIFA Women’s International Window for the Commonwealth Bank Matildas will be released once finalised.