Ange Postecoglou and Arsenal’s three Matildas will return to Australia for two exhibition fixtures in May designed to tap into the international success of the country’s best football exports. Postecoglou’s Tottenham side will play Premier League counterparts Newcastle United in a midweek friendly at the MCG on 22 May before an A-League All Stars double header at Marvel Stadium two days later. Arsenal Women, who have Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross on their books, will headline that Friday evening in a match against the first ever women’s A-League All Stars team. Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United will play the A-League All-Stars Men as the curtain-raiser for that match. The matches fall just after the English seasons conclude – and before the start of Euro 2024 – but managing director of promoter TEG Rachael Carroll said there were “absolutely some commitments within contracts” to ensure the clubs’ best players go to Australia. Tottenham’s chief football officer, Scott Munn, said all his club’s players will be available unless they are having surgery or there are “extenuating circumstances”. “I think there’s only one player [Timo Werner] that’s getting married that weekend, so he probably won’t travel.” Former Socceroo Mile Jedinak, who now works alongside Postecoglou on the Spurs coaching staff, said the goal of these events is to inspire Australians. “I just take myself back to my own childhood and we had some big games where I watched on TV and it was all inspirational, so I see this event as no different,” he said. “Where that leads people in the end, only time will tell, but we can plant the seed of inspiration.” Both matches fall during the AFL season. The Tottenham clash is sandwiched at the MCG between the Collingwood v Adelaide clash and Richmond v Essendon the following Saturday. The turnaround at Marvel Stadium is tighter, with matches currently scheduled by the AFL for the day before and the day after the All Stars clash. The A-League Men grand final is due to be played on the weekend of 25 and 26 May. Victorian sport minister Steve Dimopoulos said the matches would provide a boost to the state’s economy. “We expect tens of thousands of people to come to Victoria from somewhere else, and we expect them to come here to see these extraordinary matches, maybe stay for three days and spend in our economy, while watching some of the best football matches globally.” Australian Professional Leagues chair Stephen Conroy said the events would provide a revenue boost for the local game. “Even if we would just break even – and we’re not, we’re doing much better than that – but even if we were just breaking even, the publicity, the excitement that’s generated by it is worthwhile doing it.” The All-Stars Men concept was launched in 2013 with a match again Manchester United, but fell dormant until it was revived in 2022 for a game against Barcelona that attracted 70,000 fans and highlighted emerging talent Garang Kuol. A fixture with Bayern Munich had been touted for 2023 but fell through. The A-League Women All-Stars will be a new fixture this year. Matildas goalkeeper Lydia Williams said the clash against her former club Arsenal will be a “battle”. “People here will want to prove themselves against one of the best women’s clubs and likewise, they’re going to want to come in and prove themselves as well.”