Football Australia has announced the appointment of Joe Montemurro as the 15th full time head coach of the Matildas following a global search for the next leader of Australian senior women’s national team.
One of the world’s most respected coaches, Montemurro returns home after a highly successful decade in Europe where he led Arsenal WFC, Juventus FC Women, and Olympique Lyonnais Féminin to success and developed a reputation for progressive, high-quality football.
Football Australia Interim Chief Executive Officer, Heather Garriock, said the appointment comes at a critical time in Australian football, with the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 on the horizon and an exciting four-year cycle that also includes the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027 and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Montemurro’s appointment marks a full circle moment for the Melbourne-born coach, who began his women’s football coaching career at Melbourne Victory FC and Melbourne City FC. His first taste of success came in the 2015-16 season as he guided City to an undefeated championship-winning season in the A-League Women competition.
He then made history in 2017 as the first Australian to manage Arsenal’s women’s team, lifting multiple trophies during his tenure including the Women’s Super League during the 2018-19 season.
In 2021 Montemurro joined Juventus women where success continued to follow as he led them to the Serie A title in the 2021-22 season, several domestic cup triumphs, and a rise in continental competitiveness. 2024 saw him appointed as head coach of European powerhouse Olympique Lyon where this year he was at the helm as the team claimed the 2024-25 domestic league title in France.
Montemurro will formally commence his role on 16 June 2025, first taking charge of the Matildas for the June/July FIFA women’s international window as they continue building towards the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026.
Further announcements regarding the Matildas’ coaching and support staff will be made in due course.
The Matildas are currently in Canberra, taking on Argentina at 7:30pm AEST on Monday 2 June as part of a two-match friendly series.