Wangaratta couple off to FIFA Women's World Cup final, but who will they be watching?

The Englishman has tickets to the final on Sunday, August 20, but it will be a much happier household if it is to watch the Matildas.

Mr Kelly moved to Australia in 2015 after two years in the US, and has followed his home country religiously in the men's game, but is one of millions across the country to be won over by the Matildas during the tournament.

The Wangaratta resident has become more and more passionate about women's soccer in the past five years since taking on coaching roles at Albury City (2018) and Wangaratta (2023).

His fiance, Sarah Morris, who he met when playing for Myrtleford in 2015, is a Matildas tragic, and, ironically, the pair's youngest daughter is named Matilda.

They travelled to Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne to see the Matildas progress through the group stage

"We've got tickets to the World Cup final, so it's a win-win for me because it's either England or Australia," Mr Kelly said.

"I bought 20 tickets throughout the group stage, so I got put into a ballot where one in 50 people would have a chance to buy tickets for the final.

"I booked the group games last year and I booked the final about three months ago.

"I actually want Australia to win the semi-final because the atmosphere would be incredible. The atmosphere at the opening game was crazy with 70,000-plus there.

Mr Kelly said the English women, known as the Lionesses, have a big following, which will further add to the contest.

"Any football in England is huge," he said.

"What I will say, I've lived in England, America and Australia and Australia's love of sport in general is crazy. I haven't seen a country get behind an event like Australia does.

"I guess the men aren't as hopeful of winning one, whereas the women are a much better chance.

"You look at the Socceroos (in the last World Cup), there was only (goalkeeper) Mat Ryan who was playing in the Premier League in England, where almost all of the Matildas are Women's Super League players."

Ms Morris was captured on the broadcast as the Matildas celebrated their fourth goal in a 4-0 win against Canada to secure a place in the round of 16.

"The game against Canada was probably the best one though because we were literally on the front row," she said.

"I got a million messages about it."

After a dramatic penalty shootout victory in the quarter-final against France, Ms Morris is confident the Matildas can go all the way.

"We were at home watching the quarter-final and I don't know how many cushions got thrown across the lounge room. It was pretty intense," she said.

"I think they can do it. They've definitely got the crowd support and the home ground advantage is huge."

Ms Morris said it was great to see such widespread interest from the Australian public.

"I think female sport in general has been a lot more documented as well," she said.

"The Matildas documentary in the lead-up went really well and the fact it's all televised is nice.

"In the past, you wouldn't have even found a female soccer game on TV. It's so good to see that it's actually getting attention."

She said the Matildas' success had also had an impact on players in her Wangaratta club side.

"We've had some girls come back to the club this year due to hype around women's soccer. It's showed that they've probably missed playing and decided to get back into it," Ms Morris said.

Mr Kelly has predicted whoever wins out of Australia and England will go on to lift the trophy.

"I think they have used Sam Kerr to perfection. They've been running the other teams' defences into the ground with Emily Van Egmond and you have one of the best players in the world coming on fresh against tired legs, especially centre backs who have probably played every minute of every game," he said.

"Hopefully she pulled up well after the France game."

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