Introduction
The Geordies clearly don’t adhere to the official DPR Korea naming convention that most official accounts are using for this tournament.
🇦🇺 Kaitlyn Torpey starts for Australia in the #WAC2026 Quarter-Final this morning, as @TheMatildas face North Korea in Perth! Good luck, Torps! 🙌 https://t.co/kxJExE3YDu 
Sixteen years ago, before the Matildas experienced their surge in popularity, they defeated North Korea in the final of the 2010 Asian Cup – the only time the side has lifted the trophy.
Many things have changed since then, but one constant remains: Sam Kerr was part of the squad that day and is leading the line tonight.
North Korea XI
For the first time this tournament, coach Ri has made a change to his starting XI, with 16-year-old Song Chin-sim coming in at left-back in place of Yu-Yong Hwang.
Keep an eye on Choe Il-Son on the bench – the 19-year-old was a member of the side that won both the U17 and U20 World Cups for North Korea.
We know that a handful of the Iranian team has remained in Australia on temporary protection visas, although this has become more complicated as one member of that group has reportedly requested to return to Iran.
The players who remain, however, have received numerous offers of support from across Australian football, with Brisbane Roar among the first to extend their assistance.
Offering support, however, and providing meaningful and careful comfort are not always the same. So how does Australian football accomplish both?
In 2022, Melbourne Victory partnered with Professional Footballers Australia to support the Afghan Women’s Team in Australia after they fled the Taliban, helping them stay together in the Victorian state leagues.
Legendary A-League Women coach Jeff Hopkins guided the team that season – and one only needed to observe the players’ interactions with the Welshman to see the trust he built with them. I asked him today what needs to be remembered when supporting the Iranian players.
"In the first place, I think it’s giving them support as young women, rather than footballers. It’s giving them a safe, comfortable place where they can come. That was the main thing that we tried to do with the Afghan women’s team, we gave them somewhere that they could come together, where they could feel safe, feel like they could play and they could practice. And kind of move things on from there. That’s the number one thing. You treat them like young women, and then maybe football is second and kind of move on from there."
Much of the coverage of the Women’s Asian Cup in recent days has focused not on any competing teams but on Iran, as their time in Australia ended following their elimination.
Shiva Mokri and Moones Mansoubi, two members of Hamava Collective, a volunteer group of Iranian Australian women in Sydney advocating for gender equality, women’s rights, and family wellbeing, have penned a piece which is recommended reading.
Sharing North Korea’s XI has been challenging due to the lack of an official Instagram account or similar source for graphics.
North Korea’s Tournament Context
Standing opposite the Matildas in the red corner are North Korea, competing in their first Asian Cup since 2010 and eager to re-establish themselves as one of Asia’s dominant sides.
Despite their long international absence, describing Ri Song-ho’s side as ‘mysterious’ is becoming clichéd, especially since we have observed three of their games. They have generally played tidy, high-tempo, aggressively pressing football.
Additionally, the North Koreans enter this tournament as reigning champions of the U17 Asian Cup, U17 World Cup, U20 Asian Cup, and U20 World Cup, demonstrating they have not rested during their international hiatus and have been producing significant talent.
However, as seen during the lengthy delay following China’s second goal in their 2-1 defeat on the final day of group play—which set up their match with the Matildas—they are also capable of erratic behavior.
Matildas XI
The Matildas’ starting XI has been announced. As expected, Kaitlyn Torpey replaces the concussed Steph Catley. Emily Van Egmond starts from the beginning.
Mackenzie Arnold is in goal behind a back four of Ellie Carpenter, Clare Hunt, Wini Heatley, and Torpey. Alanna Kennedy, fresh off scoring two goals against South Korea, starts as the holding midfielder, behind Katrina Gorry and Van Egmond, who equals Clare Polkinghorne as the most-capped Matilda in history with her 169th appearance.
Up front, Caitlin Foord, Sam Kerr, and Mary Fowler lead the attack.
STARTING XI 🗒 Here's how we line up for our quarter-final game of #WAC2026 👊🧢 Emily van Egmond becomes Australia’s equal most-capped player with her 169th appearance tonight #Matildas #AUSvPRK #HowWeWaltz #TilitsDone pic.twitter.com/RHGdakp4KU
The Matildas have already suffered two significant injury setbacks ahead of tonight’s game: Hayley Raso and Steph Catley are both out with concussion.
Raso, who missed the South Korea draw due to concussion, was replaced in the starting XI by Mary Fowler for that match, and it is likely Fowler will retain her place for this evening’s contest.
Catley was substituted off for Courtney Nevin in the South Korea game. While Nevin has established herself as a regular squad backup, she was responsible for conceding a penalty that allowed Kim Shin-ji to equalize from the spot, and then, possibly hesitant after the penalty incident, allowed Kang Chae-rim too much space for the go-ahead goal.
The Malmö FF defender remains the most probable starter and, after time to regroup and receive support in camp, will be eager to make amends. However, the possibility remains that utility player Kaitlyn Torpey could be deployed on the left side of defense, which, combined with Ellie Carpenter on the opposite flank, would create a very fast backline for Australia.
Match Preview and Context
Welcome to ’s live coverage of the Women’s Asian Cup, continuing tonight with minute-by-minute updates on the quarter-final clash between Australia and North Korea.
Although the Matildas had to come from behind to secure a result in their last match, tonight offers a chance for redemption: this is the stage where they were eliminated by South Korea, ending a streak of reaching at least the semi-finals in every tournament since joining the AFC.
That loss would have prevented the Matildas from qualifying for the 2023 Women’s World Cup had they not been hosts. Four years on, a spot in the next Women’s World Cup, to be held in Brazil next year, is at stake alongside a place in the final four of this tournament.
The loser of tonight’s game will not have their hopes completely ended, as they will move on to a playoff on the Gold Coast for another chance at qualification. Even defeat there will not end their dreams, as it would lead to a series of inter-confederation playoffs at the end of this year and the start of next year.
Nonetheless, it will be much simpler for all involved, particularly those supporting Australia, if Joe Montemurro’s side secures victory tonight.
Line-ups will be announced soon, with kick-off in Perth scheduled for 6pm local time / 9pm AEDT.
