Sarah Walsh is Chief Operating Officer of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Local Organising Committee. A former Matildas striker, Walsh earned 70 international caps and scored 35 goals for Australia. She represented her country at the 2004 Olympic Games, the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and multiple AFC Women’s Asian Cups, including the 2010 championship-winning team. Her performances, particularly during the 2006 and 2010 tournaments, were pivotal in establishing the Matildas as a competitive force in Asia and on the global stage.
Today, Sarah Walsh draws on two decades of elite playing experience to lead one of the world’s premier women’s football tournaments. As Football Australia’s former Head of Women’s Football, Women’s World Cup Legacy & Inclusion, Walsh was the driving force behind the Legacy ’23 strategy. She secured $398 million in government and commercial investment for football’s World Cup and unlocked a further $200 million in funding for women’s and girls’ community sports infrastructure. Her leadership helped deliver the most commercially successful FIFA Women’s World Cup in history in 2023. The game shattered attendance and broadcast records with 11 million people tuning in to watch the Matildas’ semi-final. It became the most-watched television programme in Australian history.
Now overseeing the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026, Sarah Walsh is spearheading efforts to deliver a tournament that will set new benchmarks for participation, economic impact, and cultural connection. Leveraging Australia’s rich multicultural ties to the Asian Football Confederation nations, she is committed to ensuring that the event leaves a transformative legacy for the sport and the communities it serves.
Ranked 22nd on News Corp’s list of the 100 most influential women in sport, Walsh is a highly sought-after speaker for her proven ability to drive gender equity, mobilise high-performing teams, and translate major sporting events into long-term social and economic outcomes.
