Australia head coach Joe Montemurro has dismissed the favorite label attached to his side ahead of the inaugural FIFA Women’s Series in Nairobi, insisting that prestigious rankings hold no weight once the whistle blows.
Speaking during the pre-match press conference on Friday, Montemurro whose side sit in 15th in the FIFA standings. dismissed the gap between the Matildas and their lower-ranked opponents, including hosts Kenya(34) Malawi(153) and India (67).
“I always look at favorite as something for the journalists and for the newspapers and for FIFA rankings. Favorite on the day means nothing.That’s why these games for us are very important, because we don’t know much about these teams, and that’s good.
It’s going to be a surprise and we have to be ready for it. We have to be ready for whatever comes our way,” he said.
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Despite the absence of several high-profile stars like Ellie Carpenter, Mary Fowler and Katrina Gorry who are resting following the Asian Cup, and the late withdrawal of vice-captain Steph Catley due to a calf injury, Montemurro remains steadfast in his philosophy.
When asked if the absence of the stars would alter his approach, he emphasized that Australia’s identity remains the priority.
“We’ll prepare first of all thinking about what we need to do, so that underpins everything. How we want to play, how we want to defend. Obviously, we tinker with little bits and pieces in terms of the personnel that we’re playing against, but the baseline is always us. It is always the standards we’ve created and the way we want to play.”
For the Australian squad, which recently finished as runners-up in the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, the trip to Nairobi represents a unique learning curve.
The coach highlighted the educational value of playing on African soil, a rare opportunity for his group.
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“It’s difficult conditions and difficult situations because we’re not used to these conditions, so it’s a very, very important education for us,” he added.
“We’re taking this as a very important stepping stone. I thank the Kenyan FA and FIFA for putting on these types of tournaments. It benefits us because we probably wouldn’t get the opportunity to come to Africa or play an African nation in Africa.”
Australia will kick off the four-nation tournament on Saturday, April 11, as they take on Malawi in the early kickoff at 2 PM. The winner of that clash is set to face either hosts Kenya or India in the final scheduled for Wednesday, April 15.