Why Matildas had to decline clash with world superpower

The Matildas have been forced to turn down the chance to face four-time world champions the US in the lead-up to next year's Women's World Cup.

Football Australia was contacted earlier this year to gauge interest in taking part in friendlies against the US and Canada next April in matches which would have provided a handy measuring stick for the Matildas under current boss Joe Montemurro.

The US, who bombed out of the last World Cup at the round of 16 stage, are reigning Olympic champions and are ranked No.2 in the world.

Canada, who were winners of the Tokyo Olympics, are ranked ninth and shape as a potential dark horse for next year's tournament in Brazil.

But, as a result of the new qualification format for the 2028 Olympics kicking off in April, FA was unable to get a friendly with the two North American powerhouses over the line in the lead-up to Brazil.

"Our team sat down with Joe and made sure we had a plan of playing different styles of nations from different confederations in readiness for the World Cup and we're not going to get that in that window," FA's deputy chief executive and director football Heather Garriock told AAP.

"One of the key things we've invested in over the last 12 months is our sports diplomacy and partnership between the US on and off the field because those relationships will be important to us especially over the next five years."

FA has enjoyed a healthy relationship with its American counterparts in the last year and the Socceroos were invited to play two friendlies during consecutive windows in North America in late 2025 leading up to this year's World Cup.

As well as the Los Angeles Games in 2028, the 2031 Women's World Cup will also be hosted in North America.

The new Olympic qualification path will pit Asia's best eight teams against each other in two groups of four with only the pool winners guaranteed of advancing to Los Angeles.

Teams will play home and away across their six group games with the second-placed sides in each pool in Asian Olympic qualification heading into a play-off competition.

"I think the positive is we'll play at home in qualifiers and we will have the pressure to win and that's a similar feeling to what we will have to do in the World Cup," Garriock said.

The Matildas spent the immediate window after their heartbreaking Asian Cup final loss to Japan playing friendlies in Kenya and home matches against Mexico.

Montemurro's side will be on the road in the next international window and are scheduled to face world No. 3 Germany in Karlsruhe on October 9.