Australia
FIFA #28
The Socceroos show up every four years to remind everyone that Australians do in fact play football. They call it soccer but we won't hold that against them. Punching above their weight is basically the national sport.
๐ In the US
Staged out of Los Angeles, which has both a Pacific connection to Australia and the kind of relaxed cosmopolitan energy the Socceroos appreciate. The Australian fans here are cheerful, sun-damaged, and will have found the best brunch spot near the stadium by game day morning.
Style
Athletic and hardworking, pressing high with energy and looking to disrupt opponents early before hitting them on the break.
Rivals
New Zealand. The Trans-Tasman rivalry covers every sport imaginable and football is no exception โ though New Zealand winning any version of it would be genuinely shocking.
Home Base
Australia is one of the rare countries where 'football' can mean four different things depending on the state. The Matildas' 2023 Women's World Cup run may have done more for football culture here than anything the men have managed โ their semi-final against England drew the highest TV audience in Australian history.
Human Rights
Freedom House
Political rights and civil liberties score (higher = more free)
Reporters Without Borders
Press Freedom Index ranking (lower = more free, out of 180 countries)
UN Human Development Index
Human Development Index score (higher = more developed, 0โ1 scale)
Transparency International
Perceived public sector corruption โ higher is cleaner
ILGA World
Legal status of same-sex relationships