Professional Footballers Australia (the PFA) have confirmed A-Leagues legend Lydia Williams will be awarded the prestigious Alex Tobin OAM Medal during the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
The 104-time Matildas icon will receive the award as recognition for her extraordinary contribution to Australian football and her long-standing leadership within the player movement.
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In a career spanning nearly two decades, Williams enjoyed a stellar club career that saw her play for Canberra United, Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory in the A-Leagues whilst also starring at clubs in Scandinavia, Europe and the USA.
However it was her excellent performances at international level which saw Williams become a household name in women’s football.
The former Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain keeper represented Australia at five FIFA Women’s World Cups, six AFC Women’s Asian Cups, two Olympic Games, and the 2006 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup before retiring after the 2024 Paris Olympic games.
A proud Noongar woman, Williams made history as the first Australian female goalkeeper, and only the second Indigenous footballer after Kyah Simon, to surpass 100 international caps. Williams concluded her international career following the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“It’s incredibly humbling to receive the PFA’s highest honour,” Williams said. “Throughout my career, I’ve always tried to represent my teammates, my culture and my country with pride.
“To be recognised in this way means more than I can say.
“Standing up for players has always been about leaving the game better than I found it. I’m proud of what we achieved together, not just the Matildas, but everyone who fought to create a fairer, safer, more professional environment for all Australian footballers.
She added: “Football has given me memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. If my journey has helped even one young girl, especially one from an Indigenous community, believe that she belongs in this sport, then that is the greatest achievement of all.”
The Alex Tobin OAM Medal is the PFA’s highest individual honour, awarded to a player who exemplifies the four qualities embodied by Alex Tobin: leadership, achievement as a player, commitment to fellow professionals, and service and dedication to the game.
Off the pitch, Williams became one of Australia’s most respected voices for player advocacy.
She was the second woman elected to the PFA board in 2015, later becoming Vice President in 2023, and central figure in the Matildas’ landmark 2015 industrial action, which delivered crucial improvements in pay and conditions and reshaped public understanding of the inequities faced by women footballers.
Williams was also instrumental in advancing the 2019 National Teams CBA, delivering pay equity for the Matildas and Socceroos, and the 2023 National Teams CBA, which established a new economic model that keeps pace with global standards in women’s football.
Her leadership helped lay the modern foundations for the Matildas’ professional environment and the broader advancement of women’s football in Australia.
PFA Chief Executive Beau Busch congratulated Williams on becoming the twelfth recipient of the PFA’s Alex Tobin OAM Medal.
“Lydia embodies everything the Alex Tobin OAM Medal stands for: excellence, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to her fellow players,” Busch said.
“Her impact on Australian football extends far beyond her performances on the pitch. She has been a trailblazer, an advocate, and an inspiration to generations of players.
“Her role in shaping historic collective bargaining outcomes and elevating conditions for the Matildas cannot be overstated. Australian football is stronger, fairer and more ambitious
because of Lydia’s leadership.”
Williams becomes only the third woman to receive the Alex Tobin OAM Medal, following Cheryl Salisbury (2017) and Melissa Barbieri (2023).
The Matildas great will receive the Alex Tobin OAM Medal at a special gala event at Darling Harbour’s Doltone House on Monday 16 March.
