Football Australia has confirmed that the Subway Socceroos will face Saudi Arabia at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne on Thursday, 14 November 2024 (kick-off TBC) as part of their Round Three AFC Asian Qualifiers™ - Road To 26 Qualification campaign.
The matchup on home soil against Saudi Arabia represents a key step in the Subway Socceroos' campaign, as they continue their journey towards the FIFA World Cup 2026™ and the prospect of a sixth consecutive appearance at international football's showpiece event in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Graham Arnold's side will return to the Victorian capital almost 12-months to the day following their Round Two Qualifier against Bangladesh at the same venue - netting 7 goals to nil.
Football Australia CEO, James Johnson is looking forward to seeing the Victorian football community and Subway Socceroos fans from around Australia out in numbers to support the team in this crucial fixture.
"Victorians have shown just how passionate they are about our sport, coming out in droves at stadiums, in venues and at the iconic Federation Square to cheer on our national teams - we're delighted to be bringing them a match of this significance," Johnson said.
"The Subway Socceroos have cultivated an incredible reputation domestically and abroad in recent years. We're so proud of what they've achieved to date and look forward to supporting them on this journey towards the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
"We've seen just how much this team mean to the Australian sporting community, with rapid sellouts for matches on the Gold Coast and in Adelaide in recent months, illustrating the passion people have for football right across the country. I'd encourage everyone to get their tickets quickly to avoid missing out in November.
"The Victorian Government are wonderful partners and as always, we appreciate their support of our sport and of this crucial Round Three AFC Asian Qualifier," Johnson concluded.
Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Steve Dimopoulos said: "All eyes will be on the Socceroos' FIFA World Cup bid, with this elite event boosting Victoria's world-class major events calendar that supports local jobs and local economies across the state."
Victoria is currently home to several of our Subway Socceroos including Daniel Arzani (Melbourne Victory FC), Aziz Behich (Melbourne City FC) and Mathew Leckie (Melbourne City FC), while the match marks a homecoming for the likes of Jordy Bos (KVC Westerlo) and Jackson Irvine (FC St Pauli) - all of whom will be vying for selection in November.
Subway Socceroos' Head Coach, Graham Arnold said fans would have a critical role to play from the stands at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
"We love what our fans bring on any occasion we're playing at home, I know the buzz the players get from these big games. They're all so proud to be representing their nation on home soil, to then share that moment with a stadium full of proud Australians, willing them to succeed is very special," Arnold said.
"The players feed off that energy and the collective voice of our fans will play a vital role for us in an important game during this round of Qualification.
"The boys are looking forward to getting back to Australia and are ready to embrace the challenge ahead," Arnold said.
Scheduled to be played from September 2024 to June 2025, the AFC Asian Qualifiers™ - Road to 26 will feature three groups of six teams playing in a home-and-away, round-robin format, offering direct qualification to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ for the top two finishers of each group.
To find out all the latest information on fixtures, results and Third Round Qualification updates please click here.
Ticket information for Melbourne: Tickets for this match start from $20 Child, $25 Concession, $35 Adult, and $65 Family, with a Football Account Pre-Sale at 10.00am AEST on Thursday, 22 August 2024 and General Public On-Sale at 2.00pm AEST Monday, 26 August 2024 via Ticketek.
$2 (plus GST) from every ticket sold will be donated to the CommBank Pararoos and CommBank ParaMatildas, Australia's CP national teams for male and female footballers with cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury or symptoms from a stroke.
Football Account is the official account for football fans in Australia. Football Account provides access to exclusive content, special offers and discounts including access to ticket pre-sales, discounts to Australian National Team matches, and exclusive merchandise offers. Fans can register their account here.
Match Details
Subway Socceroos v Saudi Arabia
Thursday, 14 November 2024
Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne
Kick-off: TBC
Tickets: Start from $20 Child, $25 Concession, $35 Adult, and $65 Family. Tickets from Ticketek.
Football Account Pre-Sale: 10.00am AEST on Thursday, 22 August 2024.
General Public On-Sale: 2.00pm AEST Monday, 26 August 2024.
