Australia vs England LIVE: Latest Women’s World Cup 2023 semi-final updates

More than eight million Australians tuned in for Cathy Freeman’s race to victory in the 400 metres back in 2000, a figure that could be under threat if the Matildas can reach the final.

That figure has long been considered the benchmark for a sport, but the World Cup has taken over the country with a population of under 26 million.

In 2003, four million average viewers tuned in for the Rugby World Cup final where England narrowly beat host nation Australia, and that figure could be eclipsed by the game today.

World Cup fever has definitely taken over the land down under, children at schools had dress up in green and gold days earlier today.

Matildas merchandise has sold out across the country and it has been the biggest event since the 2000 Olympics which were held in Sydney.

The front and back pages have been dominated by the women’s football and it will be at fever pitch tonight.

Sam Kerr starts for Australia in their World Cup semi-final against England, as the Matildas make two changes.

Kerr comes in for her first start of the World Cup after missing the group stages with injury and being limited to the bench in the last-16 and quarter-finals. The striker comes in for Emily van Egmond, who is on the bench.

The Matildas will be without defener Alanna Kennedy, who has been ruled out with illness and doesn’t even make the bench. She is replaced by the experienced Clare Polkinghorne.

Australia XI: Arnold; Carpenter, Hunt, Polkinghorne, Catley; Raso, Gorry, Cooney-Cross, Catley; Fowler, Kerr

The Lionesses are unchanged from their quarter-final win against Colombia.

Lauren James remains unavailable, with the forward serving the second match of her two-game ban, although she will now be free to play either the final or the third-place place playoff, depending on England’s result against Australia.

The Lionesses have a fully fit squad elsewhere. Sarina Wiegman keeps her 3-5-2 formation and the back three of Jess Carter, Millie Bright and Alex Greenwood, which has excelled in front of goalkeeper Mary Earps. Lucy Bronze and Rachel Daly continue as wing-backs.

Keira Walsh will start at the base of the midfield, with Georgia Stanway alongside her. Ella Toone keeps her place, despite some questions over her form.

Alessia Russo and Lauren Hemp both scored against Colombia and lead the line, with Chloe Kelly and Beth England the other attacking options from the bench.

England XI: Earps; Carter, Bright, Greenwood; Bronze, Walsh, Stanway, Daly; Toone; Hemp, Russo

After Sarina Wiegman finished her press conference following the victory over Colombia on Saturday, England’s Dutch coach was so struck by the number of questions about England’s historic sporting rivalry with Australia that she immediately started asking staff members about the extent of it. She quickly realised she had underestimated just how much this meant.

Those at the England camp duly filled her in, although, as one staff member laughed: “It’s not like we showed her old clips of the Ashes.” They maybe didn’t need to.

A trip to the shop beside England’s otherwise tranquil Terrigal base would have shown how intense it’s all getting. The front page of The West Australian – the newspaper that covers Australian player Sam Kerr’s home city of Perth – read: “And you thought the Ashes was big!”

As England are preparing to play Australia in the World Cup semi-finals so too, crucially, is Georgia Stanway. After playing through five matches at the tournament on a yellow card and with the threat of a one-match suspension hanging over her head, the combative Lionesses midfielder successfully walked the tightrope to reach the point where bookings are wiped.

A younger Stanway perhaps wouldn’t have been so careful, and would have fallen foul of her instincts to challenge for balls that were not there to be won. There was, admittedly, one nervous moment, during the heat of battle against Colombia in the quarter-finals, when Stanway thought she had pushed her aggression too far after a mistimed tackle. Overall, though, the midfielder has shown restraint and control to reach the semi-finals in the clear. “I’m very, very grateful about that,” Stanway laughs, and England are as well.

To do so, Stanway had to become “disciplined Georgia”, a change in mental approach that has been worked on with the help of an influential mentor, whose identity comes as a surprise to those who are gathered at England’s Terrigal training base.

How many games will Lauren James miss at Women’s World Cup after red card?

Lauren James was handed a two-game ban by Fifa after being sent off during England’s last-16 win over Nigeria.

The Chelsea star sat out England’s 2-1 win over Colombia in the quarter-finals, and will now serve her second and final game in the semi-finals against Australia.

That means that James is in line to play for England again at the Women’s World Cup, either in the final should they defeat the Matildas on Sunday, 20 August, or in the third-placed play-off on Saturday, 19 August.

James was shown a red card after standing on Nigeria defender Michelle Alozie during the knockout game, which England won via a penalty shootout.

The FA has said it is “disappointed” after reports suggested that World Cup semi-final tickets allocated specifically for England fans were bought by Australia supporters.

A unique supporter code was reportedly leaked on social media ahead of the Lionesses’ crunch match with the Matildas on Wednesday – with a number of Australian fans claiming to have purchased tickets.

The additional 1,970 tickets were released at the weekend, and around 8,000 England fans are expected to be in attendance at the Accor Stadium in Sydney.

Commenting on the ticket code leak, an FA spokesman said: “We worked with Fifa to secure an additional allocation of tickets for England’s World Cup semi-final against Australia.

“The details of how to purchase these tickets were communicated directly to our fans on our England Football channel, and we are disappointed to see reports that a limited number of these tickets have been accessed by other fans.

“We are working with Fifa to review this ticketing process going forward.”

England midfielder Keira Walsh on how the Lionesses will look to “quieten the crowd” at the Stadium Australia:

“Whatever game I play, I want to win. It doesn’t matter who you are playing against. For us, I wouldn’t say we are thinking about spoiling the party.

“I think it is just another game and a massive game at that. We are just fully focused on trying to reach a World Cup final, regardless of who we are playing. I think obviously with the support from Australia it is going to be a little bit different for them in that sense.

“(The crowd) was massive for us at the Euros, especially in the final. There are those moments where the opposition could score and it shifts momentum sometimes when you’re playing, it gives you an extra push when you know the crowd is behind you.

“But also when you can quieten the crowd it is a very nice feeling. I think for us trying to take the momentum out of the game is going to be important. There are positives and negatives for both. We have experienced both.”