'Girls playing sport is huge': Massive record for women and girls on fields

So it's no surprise fields around Canberra transformed into mini World Cup arenas on Saturday morning as the biggest female season in the capital's history kicked off.

They braved the chilly start to try something new. They wore their club colours with the pride of Matildas gold. And they chased the ball - some with more intent than others - as they mimicked their heroes.

"We're absolutely stoked," Capital Football participation manager James White said. "Parents and guardians were getting on to us last year and it's brilliant to see.

"There is a drop out rate for women and girls [as they get older] for different reasons. But to see an increase number in teams and players this year is very pleasing. Hopefully we can build on that in the following seasons."

Canberra has the highest participation rate in Australia for women over 15 years old playing sport. That number will rise this year, with Capital Football figures jumping across all female age groups.

They had 4179 players last year. The Matildas effect has increased that to 5355 this year. In the MiniRoos for under-10s and under-11s girls, there is an increase of 15 teams. There's a jump of 11 teams in the other junior girls categories, with senior numbers rising as well.

Parent Steve Monahan is just grateful he could find a team with space for her daughter Elsie to play in her first year of soccer.

"We were worried that she might not get a start because there's so many girls playing, but we're absolutely stoked that she can play," he said. "It's fantastic to watch her with the other girls having a good time.

"The World Cup was a big factor that got her into it and the amount of girls playing the sport is huge right now."

For another parent, Bianca Whittaker, who has an older daughter now 19 that used to play with boys, seeing her younger children Alexis, 10, and Chloe, 11, in an all-girls team shows how times have changed.

"There's definitely more girls playing to when we used to watch our older daughter - they used to be in teams with boys, so it's grown exponentially," the mum said.

Some clubs have been forced to rework schedules to ensure they can cater for the increased demand on game days and at training.

It's a good problem to have for Capital Football, who have committed to running Canberra United next season after securing additional ACT government funding last month.

"There's obviously benefits that come along with participation - mental social and physical. So everyone's excited because we know how beneficial it is," White said.

"Increased participation comes part and parcel with infrastructure, additional equipment and costs. We've also got to look at ways of being more flexible, whether that's around timing or working with clubs.

"They've done a fantastic job in promoting things to the broader community this year and it's a good headache to have."

The start of the junior season coincides with Capital Football's female football week, where the organisation will celebrate women and girls in the game over an eight-day period.

Canberra has been blessed with strong female influences off the field, and Michelle Heyman's Matildas resurgence has given the new generation a hero to follow.

Former Canberra United captain Nicole Begg has seen the impact first hand after coaching at Canberra Olympic since 2019. She has stepped back from the role this year, but was excited about the future.

Some Capital Football NPL women's games were postponed or reschedule last year to allow the players to attend World Cup matches in Sydney.

"It's so good to see the hype from the Women's World Cup carrying over," Begg said.

"That's what we hoped would happen and to see it come to fruition is excellent. It was hard to see if there was going to be an impact but we're going to see that now.

"There I just love to see people enjoying the game and finding a reason to play for longer because it' a fact that the more people playing, the bigger the talent pool is and sport has such excellent social and personal benefits.

"Players of my age grew up playing against boys. That was awesome for our development and I loved doing that. But it would have turned some people away.

"To now be able to play with your friends in all-girls teams, if that's what you want to do, how good is it to have that opportunity. It just encourages more people to come and play."

Capital Football's overall numbers across junior girls and boys have skyrocketed this year. There are now more than 12,500 children playing in the junior competitions.