Matildas superstar Sam Kerr wants a longer W-League season and more marquee players, and neither may be too far away according to FFA chief David Gallop. Kerr rejected offers from European clubs to sign for Perth Glory and become the W-League’s inaugural marquee player, something she said was a “huge honour”.

“It’s something I’m really proud of and hopefully it’s a big step for women’s football in the right direction,” Kerr said at Monday’s W-League season launch in Sydney. “Hopefully one day there can be one [marquee] for every team which I think is well deserved for the girls.”

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Asked how far away that might be from happening Gallop told AAP: “I wouldn’t have thought that far. The Matildas will go to a World Cup in the middle of 2019 and if we had our way, a number of them will come away as world names. Therefore the commercial interest will hopefully be there to be able to continue to lift their remuneration and have other marquee players.”

The W-league season starting on Thursday week will run over 14 rounds, well short of the 27 played in the men’s A-League. And when asked how close the W-League was to being one of the world’s best women’s competitions, Kerr said: ‘“Once we get a home and away season and the season is longer I think it can definitely compete.

“But I’ve played in the US seven years and I’ve always said teams like Melbourne City, Sydney FC and Perth Glory could compete with teams over there. At the moment I would love to see a home and away but obviously you’ve got to take small steps.”

Gallop said the FFA also wanted to have an expanded W-League season. “A genuine home and away is also in our list of priorities for growth of the W-League,” he said.

Kerr stressed the current season length had some advantages as it meant quality imports could be recruited as the W-League doesn’t clash with other domestic women’s competitions in Europe and the United States. She said she planned to play in Europe at some stage.

Rested from last week’s 1-1 draw with England, Kerr said Australia were on track for next year’s World Cup and had their strongest chance ever at that tournament.

“It’’s nice to go in with a bit of pressure on this time, we’ve always been the dark horse,’” she said. “I think if we can get to the quarter-finals, semi-finals it’s anyone’s game but we’ve shown against the likes of USA, Japan and Brazil recently that we can do it with the best.”