Mary Fowler has taken out #1 on Code Sports' 100 most-influential women, joined on the list by her Australian captain, Sam Kerr, and retired players in Heather Garriock, Sarah Walsh and Lydia Williams.
Read below about their achievements this year that have seen them included on the list.
#1 Mary Fowler
Last year: #13 Mary Fowler has been ranked #1 on the list of the 100 most-influential women in sport, topping the list for the second time in three years. After Fowler looked to be in the form of her career with Manchester City in 2025, becoming the first player to record two or more goal involvements in four consecutive appearances, an ACL injury in April 2025 looked like the forward might be sidelined for a home major tournament, with the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ only ten months away, the forward was racing against the clock to be fit in time.
Most athletes, when being sidelined from a sport they love in such a cruel way, would be dejected, but not Mary; she took it as a chance to enjoy things outside of football and gain a new perspective on life. Becoming the first female footballer to walk the runway at Paris Fashion Week for L’Oreal. Also using this time to write and publish her first book, Bloom: Creating a Life I Love.
Hours spent on rehab saw Fowler return from her ACL injury for Manchester at the start of February 2026, and was subsequently named in Joe Montemurro's squad. On her first start in 332 days for Australia, Fowler found the back of the net in the first half against IR Iran to help her side to a 4-0 victory.
#7 Heather Garriock
Last year: Unranked Heather Garriock had a memorable 2025, being named Interim CEO of Football Australia and becoming the first woman to lead the organisation in its history. A distinguished former Matilda, Olympian and sports administrator, Ms Garriock brought her extensive experience to the role. She previously served as CEO of Australian Taekwondo, has been a director on the FA Board since 2021, and currently serves on the Asian Football Confederation’s Technical Committee.
Following the appointment of Martin Kugeler as CEO in February 2026, Garriock transitioned into the role of Executive Director of Football and Deputy CEO, a significant and newly-created role that ensures continuity, strong executive football leadership, and strategic alignment.
With the CommBank Matildas currently competing in a home AFC Women’s Asian Cup™, and the CommBank Socceroos about to feature in their sixth consecutive FIFA World Cup 26™, Garriock will continue to play a significant role in the growth of the sport in Australia, Asia and the World.
#14 Sarah Walsh
Last year: 23 The former Matilda is currently delivering the most successful AFC Women’s Asian Cup™ to date, with records seemingly broken in every single game. Walsh is the Chief Operating Officer of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup™ 2026 Local Organising Committee, which has seen the most-succesful tournament delivered in history for the women's game.
Australia's opening game of the tournament saw 44,379 fans flock into Perth Stadium to watch the first game of the tournament, with the record-broken for the largest match attendance in Women’s Asian Cup history. Just one week later, the record was broken again, when 60,279 fans celebrated International Women's Day at Sydney's Stadium Australia, when the CommBank Matildas hosted Korea Republic in the final group stage game.
The tournament has surpassed 250,000 tickets sold, shattering the previous record of 59,910 set across the entire 2010 edition in China.
#17 Sam Kerr
Last year: 5 Sam Kerr made her much-anticipated return to football in 2025, after an ACL injury sustained at the start of 2024 kept the striker sidelined for over a year. In true fashion, Kerr's return for Chelsea saw her score her 100th goal for the club, marking a return 634 days in the making.
Kerr is a natural-born leader and proven goal-scorer, becoming Australia's all-time leading goalscorer at the 2022 edition of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup™, surpassing Tim Cahill's record.
The skippers' AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ has seen her score two goals, notably, the match-winner in her hometown Perth in the opening game, marking her first goal for Australia in 851 days.
#84 Lydia Williams
Last year: Unranked. Recently named the Alex Tobin Medallist, Professional Footballers Australia’s (PFA) highest honour for career-long contribution, the goalkeeper has been a mainstay in the Matildas' squad since making her debut in 2005, with close to 19 years of service for her nation following her retirement from international football in 2024.
As a proud Noongar woman, Williams (cap #138) is one of only two footballers to represent Australia at senior FIFA tournaments on five occasions (2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023). The CommBank Matildas veteran has also donned the gloves at six AFC Women’s Asian Cups (2006, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022), two Olympic Games Women’s Football Tournaments (2016, 2020), and the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.
Williams made history as the first Australian female goalkeeper and only the second Indigenous footballer, after Kyah Simon, to surpass 100 international caps.
Since retiring from international football in 2024, Williams is now a board member of the Australian Sports Commission, where she continues to help shape the future of Australian sport.
