Football Australia has confirmed the Socceroos will face Saudi Arabia at Melbourne’s AAMI Park on Thursday, 14 November 2024 as part of their Round Three AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road To 26 Qualification campaign.
The home soil match against Saudi Arabia represents a key step in the Socceroos’ campaign, as they continue their journey towards the FIFA World Cup 2026 and the prospect of a sixth consecutive appearance at international football’s showpiece event in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The side will return to Melbourne almost 12-months to the day following their Round Two Qualifier against Bangladesh at the same venue – netting 7 goals to nil.
Football Australia CEO, James Johnson says he is looking forward to seeing the Victorian football community and Socceroos fans from around Australia out in numbers to support the team in this crucial fixture.
“Victorians have shown just how passionate they are about our sport, coming out in droves at stadiums, in venues and at the iconic Federation Square to cheer on our national teams – we’re delighted to be bringing them a match of this significance,” Johnson said.
“The Socceroos have cultivated an incredible reputation domestically and abroad in recent years. We’re so proud of what they’ve achieved to date and look forward to supporting them on this journey towards the FIFA World Cup 2026.
“We’ve seen just how much this team mean to the Australian sporting community, with rapid sellouts for matches on the Gold Coast and in Adelaide in recent months, illustrating the passion people have for football right across the country. I’d encourage everyone to get their tickets quickly to avoid missing out in November,” he said.
Victoria is currently home to several members of the Socceroos including Daniel Arzani (Melbourne Victory FC), Aziz Behich (Melbourne City FC) and Mathew Leckie (Melbourne City FC), while the match marks a homecoming for the likes of Jordy Bos (KVC Westerlo) and Jackson Irvine (FC St Pauli) – all of whom will be vying for selection in November.
Socceroos’ Head Coach, Graham Arnold said fans would have a critical role to play from the stands at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
“We love what our fans bring on any occasion we’re playing at home, I know the buzz the players get from these big games. They’re all so proud to be representing their nation on home soil, to then share that moment with a stadium full of proud Australians, willing them to succeed is very special,” Arnold said.
“The players feed off that energy and the collective voice of our fans will play a vital role for us in an important game during this round of qualification.
Ticket information for Melbourne: Tickets for this match start from $20 Child, $25 Concession, $35 Adult, and $65 Family, with a Football Account Pre-Sale at 10.00am AEST on Thursday, 22 August 2024 and General Public On-Sale at 2.00pm AEST Monday, 26 August 2024 via Ticketek.
