Joe Montemurro: An Australian in the AFC Asian Cup on home soil, the impact of the World Cup and why clubs must ‘fix cultures’

There will be an exodus from the Women’s Super League (WSL) with 13 players from Australia’s 26-man squad currently playing in the country, underscoring the depth of Australia’s influence in England’s top flight.

Montemurro understands the stress it causes clubs.

“The timing is never perfect,” he adds. “I’ve been in that situation when you lose players. It’s unfortunate. But the one thing that clubs sometimes forget is that it’s an honor for these players to represent their country.

“These tournaments don’t happen very often. For the Australian players, it’s a home tournament, and the opportunity to do well in this tournament is exciting.”

Montemurro acknowledges that there are “pros and cons”, especially with the Premier League season reaching crucial months, but he believes that most clubs are “now planning for such absences.”

Japan has called up 16 Premier League players to its squad, including Ayaka Yamashita, Aoba Fujino and Yui Hasegawa from Premier League leaders Manchester City.

The players will travel around February 21 to prepare for the tournament, which will be held from March 1 to 21.

If Australia reach the final, England’s professional players will miss two Champions League matches. Arsenal and Chelsea players may also not be available for the Champions League quarter-final match to be played on March 24, a few days after the Asian Cup final.

Arsenal trio Kaitlin Ford, Steve Catley and Keira Cooney-Cross are heading into the tournament, and if Australia qualify for the quarter-finals, Chelsea will be without striker Kerr and defender Ellie Carpenter for the League Cup final against Manchester United, which takes place on March 15 at Ashton Gate in Bristol.

Montemurro also backed Manchester City striker Mary Fowler to return to tournament fitness, despite playing just 15 minutes since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in April 2025.

Full list of WSL players at the Asia Cup in Australia, external a team: