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Key Points for Sarah Walsh

  • Sarah Walsh, as Head of Women’s Football for Football Australia, masterminded a groundbreaking strategy that secured $357M for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, resulting in record-breaking attendance and viewership during the Matildas' historic run.
  • Beyond her playing days, Sarah leverages her high-performance sports experience to advocate for pay equity and inclusion, steering innovations in governance and policy to drive social change at all levels of football.
  • As an executive, Sarah's leadership in football extends beyond the pitch. Recently ranked 22nd among the 100 most influential women in sport by News Corps, she continues to make a significant impact in shaping the landscape of women's football.
  • Currently serving as the Head of Women’s Football, Women’s World Cup Legacy, and Inclusion at Football Australia, Sarah Walsh integrates her illustrious playing career with her professional roles, contributing to the legacy of women's football and fostering inclusion in the sport.

Topics for Sarah Walsh

  • Breaking new ground: When Australia fell in love with the Matildas
    By the time the Matildas reached the semi-finals of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup they had broken all of the records. They had achieved record TV viewership, record match attendance and record merchandise sales. The fan sites around the country were so far over capacity, every single state had to create more fan sites. Sometimes that meant designating large stadiums which were about to host men’s AFL games as fan sites. The AFL games around the country stopped to watch “that” penalty shoot out.
    The players themselves have become household names. From Cortnee Vine who now has people stop her in the street to say thank you, to Hayley Raso and Mary Fowler who were impact players while Sam Kerr was injured and event Katrina Gorry who returned to playing from having her first child, The Matildas went from a few iconic player to a team of beloved champions.
    Parents talk about how their sons asked if there was a men’s version of the Matildas.
    Australian politicians took to social media to be associated with the team.
    The Minister for Defence announced that his portfolio could be managed by Matildas Goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold. The Minister for Sport declared she would like to be the Minister for the Matildas. Sam Kerr's calf made record headlines. We saw whole flights of passengers watching the games over in-flight entertainment.
    Finally, at the end of the journey, even though the team didn't take home the silverware, they delivered a win for women and girls across all sports, attracting a further $200M from the government to improve community facilities.
    So what conditions had to exist on and off the field to allow a women’s sports team to capture the hearts and minds of all of Australia? And what changes now in the industry of sport, broadcast, media, corporate and broader society as a result of Australia falling in love with the Matildas?
    As the Head of Women's Football in Australia and a former Matilda (played from 2004-2012), Sarah shares the incredible story that led to record broadcast and engagement metrics for any Australian sports team ever, men's or women's. Sarah also looks at the innovation around the Matildas that managed to create a 5x multiplier in brand value, and questions what changes now as a result of Australia falling in love with the Matildas.

Testimonials for Sarah Walsh

Sarah Walsh is a phenomenal speaker, she hit the mark for IWD and had the 500 audience silent and engaged in her talk. What I was looking for this event she nailed it. I would have her back in a heart beat & recommend her for future events. 
Metro Trains

I think l’m finally coming down from the euphoria of yesterday. From the joy of getting to know you to the epic line out the door. I can’t thank you enough for trusting us to share your story with us and being part of this experience.
SXSW

Sarah was unreal. Had the whole audience in awe for 60 minutes. I can see why she’s been so successful.
Culture Amp

Sarah was amazing! My favourite quote was ”I think what we’ve been able to achieve is that no one can ever say again that no one is watching, that no one is paying and that it’s not commercial.” Everyone loved the session and left so inspired.
Microsoft