2026 Women’s Asian Cup: Sam Kerr’s parents back Matildas captain to return to her best ahead of tournament

WA soccer superstar Sam Kerr’s parents have backed their daughter to return to her best form as the Matildas captain prepares to end her injury-enforced, 20-month absence.

Ahead of next year’s Women’s Asian Cup, Kerr and several other stars of the looming tournament have been emblazoned on a mural in the heart of the city to promote Perth’s involvement in the Australian-hosted event.

With less than six months until the Matildas open the tournament in Perth against The Philippines at Optus Stadium, Kerr’s parents Roger and Roxanne were among several dignitaries who unveiled the Wellington Street artwork, designed by artist Jade Dolman in conjunction with Michael Betts.

Kerr has not played a minute of competitive action since tearing her ACL in January 2024, which has forced her to miss the Matildas’ 2024 Paris Olympic campaign and the entirety of Chelsea’s last Women’s Super League season.

But after she was an unused substitute in Cheslea’s opening day of the season last weekend, Kerr’s father Roger said he was excited to see her make her return.

He was also confident she could rediscover her top form and despite admitting he was worried after the expected 9-12 month recovery stretched on.

“She has had the best opportunity to recover mentally and physically,” he said.

“To be truthful, a knee reconstruction is 12 months, so when it starts to get a bit longer you start worrying.

“But she got it sorted out and got a bit of scar tissue cut away, and is back to full strength now. Fingers are always crossed, when anyone is playing sport that they can get through it and play another couple of years.

“It’ll take time, coming back from a knee reconstruction that took 20 months, it’ll just be game-time, whether it be 20 minutes in first game, the second game, but eventually it’ll come back to where Sam should be.”

Kerr said his daughter was already eyeing up the Women’s Asian Cup as a homecoming and she could not wait to be a part of another major tournament on Australian soil when it begins on March 1.

“It’s a great opportunity for women’s sport, and Sam being an ambassador of that, it’s great to see an Asian Cup played in WA,” he said.

“Sam will have hopefully played half the season by then, and the Asian Cup has come at the right time for her fitness and confidence, the whole lot, so confidence should be up and running for the Matildas.”

The new Perth mural is not the first to pop up around Kerr’s hometown in recent years, and her mother said it was inspiring to see her daughter once again the subject matter of more art.

“She’s been such a great ambassador for the Matildas and women’s sport and with Perth Glory,” she said.

“She loves this city. This is her favourite place in the world, and she’ll be hoping that everyone gets behind us, just like the World Cup.”

In addition to the opening game, Optus Stadium will host a semifinal while the neighbouring HBF Park will host seven group stage games (three of which involve cup favourites Japan) and two quarter-finals.

Single match tickets are now on sale and local organising committee chief operating officer Sarah Walsh said they had sold 110,000 tickets in the pre-sale.

“This is a massive record already, before a ball has been kicked for the Women’s Asian Cup. It has surpassed the record that was set, ironically, in 2010 where the Matildas lifted silverware and Sam Kerr scored the penalty that won that match,” she said.

“This is a massive indicator that fans, particularly WA fans, fans all around Australia, need to get in early.”