The travel demands of the Matildas squad will be greater than their international rivals, and for six of the nation's top stars their workloads have exposed a new concern.
A new study on the demands of women's football has exposed disparities between some of the game's best and the rest of the competition, heightening calls for change.
The study, conducted by FIFPro [global player union] found that the fragmented football calendar forced the top players to compete in on average almost double the amount of matches in comparison to their teammates.
A sample of 300 players were used for the study with the average number of matches per player recognised to be less than one full game per week.
In comparison, those ranked in the top group of female players averaged nearly 60 appearances in a season.
The Matildas captivated the nation during the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. FIFA via Getty Images
Spanish and Arsenal star Mariona Caldentey topped the total playing minutes for any player in women's football, competing in 64 matches last season including international commitments.
While international duties are a direct consequence of greater match times and travel workloads, the data on the physical and mental strain such tasks require were alarming.
Mary Fowler and Cortnee Vine have cited mental and physical exhaustion as reasons for their absence on the big stage – with little gaps able to be recognised between their competition calendar.
"There is a two-speed development of women's football," Dr. Alex Culvin, FIFPro's director of policy and strategic relations for women's football, said.
Mary Fowler, Hayley Raso and Cortnee Vine of Australia celebrate winning the international friendly. Getty
"There are players who are squeezed by the calendar and the high cadence of games; this is an issue that is rightly gaining more attention.
"Yet there are a larger proportion of players who do not have enough competitive matches and are often overlooked.
"Putting players at the centre of any, and all, dialogue on the calendar and the regularity of games is key to finding solutions."
The strains of physical travel were also recognised by Culvin in the study, with Hayley Raso named as the player to have endured the highest travel load last season.
Raso was followed closely by Matildas teammates Ellie Carpenter and Caitlin Foord in the top 10 travel load rankings.
Kyra Cooney-Cross, Steph Catley and Teagan Micah were also cited on the list.
Culvin noted the increased workloads pose a greater risk for athletes to suffer injuries, a topic which Liverpool manager Matt Beard slammed FIFA's handling of.
"You take out a September window, and you add in the June and a July window, so the international players, when was the last time they had a break?" Beard, coach of Micah, said following his side's defeat to Arsenal on Monday (AEDT).
"Every single player at preseason were all muscle injuries, and they were all players that had been on that June and July camp because you go from doing nothing to [doing a lot] to nothing to [a lot], it's just impossible.
"They're playing two games or four games, which should be their off period. There is a major tournament every summer as well.
"Where are they going to fit it [the Club World Cup] in? We need to get the domestic and then the FIFA window first before we start adding in other competitions.
"The players need to rest and recover, and the national teams don't let them do that.
"The balance has to be better from an international perspective, for these international players… [Or] you're going to lose top players [to injury]."
