Emily Husband appointed Junior Matildas head coach

Football Australia has appointed Emily Husband as the new head coach of the Junior Matildas. Husband, who previously led the Central Coast Mariners to an A-League Women championship in 2024-25, will officially take charge following the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.

Husband will maintain her current position as an assistant coach for the senior Matildas until after the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup to ensure alignment between the youth and senior national teams. She succeeds Michael Cooper, who is transitioning into a newly created role as Football Australia’s Pathways and Talent ID Lead.

Cooper, who led the team to its first-ever FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualification, will continue to coach the squad through the upcoming tournament in Morocco.