Were you one of the millions of Australians who flooded living rooms and live sites to watch the Matildas charge all the way to the semifinals of the 2023 Women’s World Cup?

Did you read articles about the players’ lives and careers, buy a beanie or a jersey, watch the documentary series on Disney+, and learn more about the offside rule?

Were you captured by the team’s belief in themselves, the passion they showed on the pitch, and the way they used their platform to advocate for the growth of the game and improving pathways and opportunities for women in sport?

Well, rest assured, friends: just because the Women’s World Cup is over doesn’t mean women’s football has disappeared!

October sees the beginning of multiple domestic league seasons around the world, including England’s Women’s Super League — where the majority of the Matildas currently play — as well as our very own A-League Women, where the next generation of Matildas are being made.

So if you’re a bit of a newbie to the sport, here’s a brief rundown of everything you need to know about the major competitions, where your favourite Matildas are playing, and how you can watch them do their thing.

Australia: A-League Women

Season dates: October 13 — May 5
Number of teams: 12
Number of rounds: 22
Finals series: Yes
Reigning premiers: Sydney FC
Reigning champions: Sydney FC

In a nutshell: The upcoming A-League Women season is probably the most important in the competition’s 16-year history.

Taking place just a few months after the Women’s World Cup, the ALW is poised to capture the tidal wave of new fans that were introduced to the women’s game throughout July and August. 

Eight ALW clubs have already broken their individual membership records, while the A-League Pass — which offers free access to all games for fans under the age of 16 — has more than doubled last season’s total, hitting the 20,000 mark two weeks ago.

The expansion of the league to 22 rounds, plus a six-team finals series, as well as the addition of a 12th club in the Central Coast Mariners, means the competition offers more football than it ever has before, with every game available to watch live and free on Channel 10’s streaming platform, 10Play.