Australian football is experiencing a curious divide in England, with women's players flooding the Women's Super League while the men's top flight sees a steady decline in representation from Down Under.
A generation ago, the Premier League was well stocked with Australian names. Mark Schwarzer set the benchmark with 514 appearances, the most of any Socceroo, while the likes of Lucas Neill, Harry Kewell, Brett Emerton, Tim Cahill, Mark Viduka, Mark Bosnich, Mat Ryan, Aaron Mooy and Mile Jedinak all carved out significant careers in England. Today, that legacy has all but faded — the Premier League counts just one Australian player, 18-year-old Lucas Herrington, who arrived at newly promoted Hull City from Colorado Rapids in a deal reportedly worth around £17m with add-ons.
Contrast that with the WSL, where 13 Australians are spread across eight clubs, including three apiece at Arsenal and newly promoted Charlton Athletic. The shift has prompted questions about what is driving Australian footballers, particularly women, toward England's women's game.
Matildas boss Joe Montemurro believes the establishment of a domestic men's professional competition has changed the calculus for young Australian talent. "I think the establishment of the men's professional league in Australia [in 2004] is a reason for a lot of players to stay - they are quite happy to be professionals within their own country," he told BBC Sport. He also pointed to increased scouting in Africa and Asia as a factor reshaping recruitment patterns for English clubs, potentially reducing reliance on Australian players.
On the women's side, Montemurro credits the growing infrastructure of the English game, notably the launch of a WSL second tier, as a key pull factor. "The growth of the game in England in club professionalism and with the expansion of WSL to include a second tier [WSL 2] has contributed to more female Australians playing in England," he explained. Four Australians currently ply their trade in WSL 2: Alexia Apostolakis at Bristol City, Rachel Lowe at Durham, Kaitlyn Torpey at Newcastle and Alana Murphy at Nottingham Forest.
Financial disparities back home also appear to be pushing players abroad. A 2025 report from the players' union found the A-League Women to be the lowest-paid professional competition in Australian sport, with minimum salaries of roughly A$26,500 (about £13,900) — well below women's cricket (A$74,851) and AFL (A$67,337). By comparison, average WSL salaries were estimated at around £47,000 in 2022. Notably, neither the A-League Men nor Women have a collective bargaining agreement, leaving both competitions vulnerable to industrial disputes.
Chelsea and Australia defender Ellie Carpenter voiced concern over the domestic league's trajectory following a pre-season friendly against Sydney FC. "It's disappointing to see where the league is at here now in Australia, especially coming off the back of the World Cup in 2023 and the buzz here," she said. "I really think that we need to follow that and we need to invest more." Asked about a possible return to play in Australia, Carpenter admitted the finances made it unlikely for now, though she hoped that could change by the end of her career.
Despite football being Australia's most participated sport, with 1.93 million players according to Football Australia's 2025 figures, the national setup lacks a unified home base. The Home of the Matildas in Melbourne, opened in 2023, is not shared as a permanent facility for both senior national teams, and the Socceroos continue training at varying venues. Former head coach Graham Arnold once labelled the federation "homeless" after preparing for World Cup qualifiers at a rugby league facility.
Montemurro suggested that given the country's vast geography, multiple national hubs — rather than a single English-style base like St George's Park — might better serve development. "I believe a couple of base hubs in Australia could help our youth development," he said.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.