Perth the female sporting capital of Australia on Sunday as Matildas and Perth Lynx play in massive games

Perth has been described as the women’s sporting capital of Australia ahead of an extraordinary Sunday where the Matildas will play at Optus Stadium just hours after a WNBL grand final at Perth High Performance Centre.

Thousands of fans will flock to both stadiums and even more will be watching on TV as women’s sport takes centre stage in WA.

WNBL CEO Jennie Sager said it would be a historic occasion.

“Perth will truly be the women’s sport capital of Australia this weekend,” Sager said.

“It speaks volumes about the momentum behind women’s sport. Fans can be part of packed arenas, tune in from anywhere, and witness world-class athletes performing at the highest level across an entire day of sport. That visibility is powerful.”

Matildas star Katrina Gorry said it the tidal wave of support for women’s sport was obvious everywhere she looks.

Gorry said that made Sunday’s games between the Matildas and the Philippines, and Perth Lynx and Townsville Fire even bigger occasions.

“When you open your social media, you see mainly women’s sport on it, which is a huge credit to everyone that’s broken down those barriers, that’s been able to speak up, use their voice throughout it and make sure the younger generation don’t have to do the same thing that we’ve had to,” Gorry said.

“Now, we get to look back. We get to enjoy singing the national anthem with tens of thousands of people in the stadiums and get to see little boys and girls walking around in our jerseys. It’s a pretty special moment. Not just for women’s football, but female athletes across the world.”

Townsville captain Courtney Woods praised the Matildas for setting a platform for all female sports to aspire to. The Fire won the opening game of the grand final series on Thursday and will claim the championship if they beat the Lynx.

But the Lynx will play in front of a record crowd as they look to level the series and co-captain Amy Atwell said that spoke volumes for the sport.

“It’s awesome,” she said.

“Selling out HPC has been a goal for us and the front office all year. It’s great for women’s sport, great for women’s basketball and great for the league. With the Matildas being in Perth too, and with all the momentum they come in with after the World Cup a couple of years ago, I think women’s sport is at a really awesome point. It’s really surging.”