Different paths

Pu is not alone in her efforts striving to build a bright future for women's soccer, Dong Fangyu is also attempting to forge new paths for female participants on the world stage.

In 2024, Dong made history, becoming the first ever graduate from the AFC Referee Academy to take charge of a match in a FIFA competition, when she took the whistle for a match between France and Canada at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in Colombia. She is also the first female referee to officiate a Chinese Super League match, and is a referee candidate for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.

To officiate in professional men's leagues, which have high intensity and fast pace, usually requires a much higher level in terms of refereeing ability. Dong's officiating capabilities are not in doubt.

She has gained widespread international recognition, successfully completing assignments at tournaments including the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup and the AFC Women's Champions League, and, on the men's side, the AFC U17 Asian Cup and the AFC Champions League Elite.

In her eyes, Australian players are outstanding in individual ability and are exceptionally skilled at using their bodies to "aggressively" win the ball.

"They are physically strong and skillfully mature. Even in the final minutes of a game, their ability to make quick sprints and apply pressure remains formidable. It would be good for our teams to engage with them more and learn from them," she said.

Both Dong and Gill have seen the growing professionalism, speed and strength in the women's game, closing the gap with the men, both in performance and popularity. It puts a much higher requirement on physical fitness and skills, for both players and referees.

From the latter's perspective, Dong pointed out that they are the ones who have to find the balance between a smooth game and player protection, and top referees help players understand the boundaries of fair play, but still encourage them to be bold in the way they approach the game.

"Our younger generation of players are more dynamic and mentally tough. I see that resilience as a highly valuable quality," said Dong, the suggestion being that, maybe, some might consider becoming match officials in the future.

She noted that being a referee is challenging, as there is a need to make instant decisions under huge pressure from players, coaches, parents and fans, and it's easy to doubt or second-guess yourself.

It can be even more challenging for female referees taking charge of men's games.

"Our entire refereeing team, including me, are the ones who open the door for others to follow. Hopefully, we will see more female referees at top global events in the future, just like us.

"We are still exploring this path, and hope to prove to all the young girls that anything is possible," Dong said.

Similarly, Gill is also pushing gender boundaries in the game. Although women commentators are still rare in men's soccer in Australia, she remains committed to the task, hoping to influence more young girls to see new possibilities as the women's game continues to grow.

"We see internationally that everyone speaks and understands the language of football, and it's something that brings us all together," said Gill. "The future of women's football — in China, Australia and across the world — is very bright."