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Tony Popovic has landed an extension to coach the Socceroos into 2027 with Football Australia confirming the news before the team even kicks a ball at the World Cup. <\/p>\n
In a surprising development, Football Australia won\u2019t wait to see how the nation fares at the blockbuster tournament, instead using the Socceroos\u2019 lead-up to their opening game against Turkiye (Sunday 2pm) to re-sign Popovic. <\/p>\n
Get all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now ><\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m delighted that I will continue to coach the Socceroos through to the AFC Asian Cup 2027,\u201d Popovic said via a statement. <\/p>\n \u201cIt 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. <\/p>\n \u201cMy absolute focus right now is on the FIFA World Cup 2026. I\u2019m 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 T\u00fcrkiye, the United States, and Paraguay. <\/p>\n \u201cFrom the moment I took over, I have tried to factor in the long-term interests of the Socceroos while ensuring that we achieve the short-term results, which in the first instance was qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026.\u201d <\/p>\n Popovic has claimed 10 wins and four draws in his 18-game reign as Socceroos head coach, while this week he becomes the first man to represent Australia at the World Cup as both a player and coach.<\/p>\n READ MORE<\/b><\/p>\n GREATEST WORLD CUP MOMENTS: Cahill\u2019s tears of fury before iconic act<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n \u2018THE PARTY HAS STARTED!\u2019: Triple red card chaos rocks wild opener<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n Football Australia chief Martin Kugeler said in the statement that confirming Popovic\u2019s extension before the tournament was a \u201cfantastic outcome\u201d.<\/p>\n He said that the need for stability was \u201c vital\u201d with the Asian Cup fast-approaching next year. <\/p>\n He added: \u201cTony is a world-class coach, and he has proven his ability to deliver results while developing talent at the same time. <\/p>\n \u201cTony\u2019s positive impact on the Socceroos and Football Australia has been clear, from securing direct qualification for the FIFA 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. <\/p>\n \u201cWhile the immediate focus is on the FIFA World Cup 2026, this extension provides clarity and enables Football Australia to plan with absolute confidence for the period following the tournament, leading into the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027.\u201d <\/p>\n <\/b>AUSSIE STAR CAGEY OVER STRIKER\u2019S SICKNESS SCARE <\/b><\/p>\n A sick Mohamed Toure has been kept away from his Socceroos teammates ahead of Australia\u2019s FIFA World Cup opener against Turkiye in Vancouver on Sunday.<\/p>\n The Norwich City striker was absent from the Socceroos\u2019 training session in Oakland on Thursday (AEST).<\/p>\n Sources close to Toure have revealed that the 22-year-old marksman was ill, and the decision was made to isolate him from his teammates.<\/p>\n However, Toure \u2013 who looms as the Socceroos\u2019 first-choice option at centre-forward \u2013 was expected to return to training on Friday (AEST).<\/p>\n \u201cWe have other players as well that can also play striker, but to have Mo is really nice for us,\u201d Socceroos star Jordan Bos said.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a big asset for us, He\u2019s been doing really well at his new club. He\u2019s scoring goals and his power \u2013 everything about him \u2013 is great.\u201d<\/p>\n