The Matildas’ drawn-out coaching saga has finally come to an end with just 10 months till the 2026 Asian Cup on home soil.
That’s the word from Australian football veteran Andy Harper, who has revealed Joe Montemurro is “locked in” as the team’s next coach.
Tony Gustavsson left the role after a disastrous Paris Olympics campaign and veteran Tom Sermanni has filled in as interim ever since, with players speaking of being in limbo without a full-time coach.
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Montemurro, 55, has long shown interest in stepping up to lead his country after winning trophies in Australia (Melbourne City), England (Arsenal), Italy (Juventus) and now France (Lyon).
But his hope has never matched up with Football Australia’s timeline.
Even now he will get the job by breaking a two-year contract with Lyon after recently capping off his first season with the league title.
Montemurro has sealed the deal just days after Lyon’s defeat to Arsenal in a Champions League semi-final featuring four Matildas players, including Ellie Carpenter (second from right) and Steph Catley (right). Credit: Getty Harper shared the development during a discussion on the A-Leagues title races late in Saturday night’s men’s clash between Melbourne City and Sydney FC.
“The women’s comp remains alive,” he began on Paramount.
“And I’ll use that segue to reveal what I understand to be the case that the speculation around Joe Montemurro is about to be extinguished.
“My mail is that after a long and protracted negotiation process, that deal is now locked in.
“Now we just wait however many days or weeks before Football Australia announces Joe Montemurro as the next Matildas coach.”
The deal has been completed just days after Lyon’s European Champions League hopes were ended by a defeat to Arsenal in the semi-finals.
Lyon have one more match left to complete their domestic season.
Montemurro has coached multiple Matildas players over the years, including Catley, Caitlin Foord and Ellie Carpenter.
“I’ve been coached under Joe before, and really enjoyed playing under him, so we’ll see what happens,” Foord said last month.
Catley has also described Montemurro as a “great coach”.
He will be tasked with rebuilding the side while contending for the Asian Cup title on home soil in March 2026.
Sam Kerr is set to return from her extended ACL absence in the coming months but Mary Fowler will all but certainly miss the tournament after recently suffering the same injury.