Aussie fast bowling great Mitchell Johnson warns that soccer is on track to replace cricket as the country’s national sport: ‘The game has been put on notice’

Cricket great Mitchell Johnson has warned soccer could replace cricket as Australia’s national sport following the Matildas’ exhilarating World Cup run.

While Tony Gustavsson’s players finished just short of lifting the trophy on home soil, their fourth place was Australia’s best-ever result at a FIFA World Cup across both men’s and women’s football.

More significantly, the Matildas have captured the hearts and minds of the nation, with huge TV audiences and sold-out crowds.

And Johnson warned football’s new-found popularity will lead to more funds being directed towards the sport, which in turn will only accelerate its growth.

‘Has cricket been put on notice? I believe it has. The next decade in the Australian sports landscape will be very interesting,’ the former fast bowler wrote in his column in The West Australian.

The Matildas have captured the hearts and minds of the nation , with huge TV audiences and sold-out crowds at the recent Women’s World Cup

‘Soccer already has huge participation numbers around the country but what the sport has long complained about is not receiving taxpayer funding commensurate with those numbers. 

‘Now the home World Cup has already begun to unlock more cash.’

The semi-final against England reached a peak of 11.1 million viewers and recording an average audience of 7.13 million according to OzTam ratings and Channel Seven. 

The viewership was far bigger than any State of Origin, NRL and AFL Grand Finals and dwarfed even the viewership of 2003 men’s Rugby World Cup final, which attracted an average audience of about four million.

The huge TV audiences were reflected by sold-out stadiums and live sites across the country.

And Johnson believes the availability of different sports on TV and online means younger generations are less likely to be as interested in cricket as those who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s.

‘Despite one of history’s most absorbing Ashes series, the power of the Australian men’s cricket team to unite the nation like the Matildas did is waning in 2023,’ he wrote.

‘As cricket evolves from being based around the international game to franchise T20 competitions, the sport in Australia is ceding a space it once owned to teams such as the Matildas, Socceroos and Boomers.’ 

Johnson felt the men’s cricket team did not unite the nation like the Matidas did

The rise in popularity in football is matched by huge participation numbers around the country

Johnson, who took 313 wickets in 73 Tests for Australia, also conceded the rise in franchise-based cricket and dwindling interest in the Test format were all factors that could see the cricket lose its spot at the hear of the Australian sporting landscape.

‘The future of Test cricket is very important in all this and I am not sure what that future holds,’ he added.

‘Test cricket is now primarily about the big three of India, England and Australia playing against each other – with the rest having little desire or financial incentive to take part in the longest form.’