The Paris Olympics may be just under three years away, but the Matildas have already struck gold after securing $1.9 million in government funding to help them prepare for another medal run.
This is in addition to a further $8.83 million over the next two years to support the Matildas' 2023 Women's World Cup campaign, which they will be co-hosting with New Zealand.
The investment is part of an Olympic and Paralympic funding package, totalling just over $250 million, announced by the federal government on Wednesday.
It's the biggest financial investment in Australia's high-performance sports programs in history.
Crucially, this is the first time an agreement has been struck between the government and the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) to fund these programs through to the end of the next Olympic cycle, allowing sports to better prepare over the next few years.
Previously, sports often had to plan in 12-month cycles based on federal budget releases.
"Our athletes inspired Australians everywhere with their efforts at the delayed Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, and through the Australian Institute of Sport, this funding provides the perfect platform to perform in Paris," federal Minister for Sport Richard Colbeck said.
"Through this commitment by the federal government and via a collaborative process with the AIS, sports are enabled to build their plans in advance for a full summer Games cycle, with funding right through to the end of 2024.
"This will be the first time that sports have received funding certainty so far out from an Olympic and Paralympic Games, and we're proud to have made that commitment to building sustainable success for our high-performance athletes and their support teams."
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the financial instability and uncertainty many high-performance athletes in Australia — particularly those in smaller sports that rely on the Olympic and Paralympic Games for funding and media coverage — must contend with as they prepare for major competitions.
In the build-up to Tokyo, many programs were scaled back while some leagues were suspended altogether, forcing athletes to prepare for the Olympics on their own.
Part of the purpose of this funding bonanza is to ensure Australia's athletes don't face the same uncertainty going into Paris in 2024, particularly in light of the rapidly-spreading Omicron variant. Grants will begin to be distributed from July 1 next year, with the funding cycle concluding in December 2024.
Exactly how much money each sport will receive will be revealed in January, but the government said that there will be an increased commitment to several sports including women's rugby 7s ($2.5 million per year), canoeing (para- and able-bodied, $7.15 million), rowing ($10 million) surfing ($2 million), skateboarding ($850,000), combat sports, equestrian, and para-table tennis ($900,000).
Swimming, which Australia was most dominant in during Tokyo, remains the highest-funded Olympic sport.
In addition, $82.2 million has been set aside for an athlete future and wellbeing fund, with an eye on the Brisbane Games in 2032.
Performance pathways in softball, baseball, gymnastics, women's hockey, men's football and rugby 7s have also been given a boost.
