She shot to fame with Canberra United and helped make the nation's capital a powerhouse for women's football so it's disappointing for Ash Sykes to know no 2023 World Cup matches will be heading to her home city.
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The Dubbo junior still calls Canberra home following her retirement from the sport in late 2018.
Like every other football fan she was thrilled to watch Australia and New Zealand announced as co-hosts of the 2023 World Cup last week.
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But Sykes' excitement is tempered by the fact the ACT government withdrew its bid to host matches at the end of last year.
Sykes won two W-League titles in three seasons to help make Canberra the dominant force in the country midway through last decade but ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the third most-watched sporting event in the world was too expensive for his taxpayers, adding it would cost more than $1 million per game.
"It's s disappointing," Sykes said.
"For a government that has been pretty supportive of women's sport its surprising they wouldn't bid.
"I guess I'll have to travel to watch."
Canberra's decision leaves Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Newcastle and Launceston as the Australian host cities.
And while she would have loved matches in Canberra, Sykes has no doubt the Australian host cities and their New Zealand counterparts will do a stellar job once the tournament rolls around.
"We've certainly got a good record of hosting events," she said.
"All the football stadiums are built so it won't be like Brazil or Russia were they purposely build stadiums and then not use them again.
"Everything is ready to go and it's the same in New Zealand so it's a great opportunity for us to showcase what we can do."
There's also a chance Sykes could feature in front of the camera at the tournament.
She worked as a pundit for Optus Sport during last year's World Cup, providing insight after spending 10 years playing at the top level.
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Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
