Australia have confirmed a new deal for Tony Popovic, locking in the Socceroos head coach through to the AFC Asian Cup 2027, just as preparation peaks for the FIFA World Cup 2026 opener against Turkiye in Vancouver, where Australia aim to start strongly in a challenging Group Stage.

The contract extension arrives after a strong qualifying campaign that delivered direct World Cup entry for the first time in 12 years, with Football Australia moving to secure continuity on the bench while attention centres on the clash with Turkiye, followed by group fixtures against the United States and Paraguay.

Football Australia CEO, Martin Kugeler, outlined why the organisation moved quickly to extend Popovic’s tenure, highlighting consistent results and squad development during the qualifying phase. Kugeler said: “Securing Tony’s contract extension on the eve of the World Cup is a fantastic outcome. Tony is a world-class coach, and he has proven his ability to deliver results while developing talent at the same time. Tony’spositive impact on the Socceroos and Football Australia has been clear, from securing direct qualification for the World Cup for the first time in 12 years, to building out the depth of the squad and laying the foundations for future success. We can see the growing excitement among Socceroos fans.”

Popovic welcomed the new agreement and stressed that attention remains fixed on the tournament in North America and the upcoming Asian Cup cycle. Popovic said: “I’m delighted that I will continue to coach the Socceroos through to the Asian Cup 2027. It has been an honour and a privilege to lead the Socceroos, and it is a role that I thoroughly enjoy and one I have never taken for granted. My absolute focus right now is on the FIFA World Cup 2026. I’m proud to lead my country into a World Cup, but most importantly, I want to ensure that our team is fully prepared and focused on our group matches against Turkiye, the United States, and Paraguay.”

Australia reached the World Cup by finishing second in AFC third-round Group C behind Japan, staying unbeaten against Japan across two qualifiers, with a 1-1 draw away and a 1-0 win at home, while their only defeat in that stage came in a 1-0 home loss to Bahrain.

This will be Australia’s seventh World Cup appearance and sixth straight qualification, yet progression has never gone beyond the round of 16. The 2022 tournament brought a small step forward, as Australia recorded two wins in a single World Cup edition for the first time.

Recent World Cup history shows mixed results for the Socceroos, who have struggled in opening fixtures and across tournaments, as outlined below.

Popovic first took charge of the Socceroos in September 2024 and has now agreed an extra year beyond the previous arrangement, covering the full World Cup 2026 campaign and extending to the AFC Asian Cup 2027, as fan anticipation grows around whether Australia can convert improved qualifying form into deeper progress.