Empty seats at 'sold out' Matildas vs Nigeria questions FIFA ticketing plan

Vision of empty seats from a 'sold out' Brisbane Stadium for the Matildas clash against Nigeria has raised questions about FIFA's ticketing allocation for the Women's World Cup.

While the official crowd was confirmed as 49,156, some football supporters noticed in Channel 7's and Optus Sports' coverage that rows of seats weren't in use on Thursday night.

Top tiers at the sporting venue were filled with supporters, but multiple vantage points - including behind the goals - remained vacant.

It comes as close to four hours to kick-off, FIFA announced a limited number of Category 3 tickets, starting at $20 for adults, were suddenly available.

The reason for the late flurry of tickets is yet to be confirmed.

On the pitch, the Matildas World Cup hopes hang by a thread following the 3-2 defeat at the hands of the Africans.

Australia now need to beat Olympic champions Canada in Melbourne on Monday to progress to the round of 16.

Whether superstar striker Sam Kerr recovers from a calf injury and takes the field remains to be seen.

Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson confirmed he will give Kerr until Monday afternoon to prove her fitness.

'All I can say now is that I hope so [that she'll be ready to play],' he said.

'It might even be the case where we need to test her to see if she can play on game day.

'That's how tight it is, I can say that now so everyone knows what it's like.'

Fellow striker Mary Fowler will return from concussion protocols to offer the Matildas some much-needed punch in the final third.

Facing World Cup elimination, many fans believe Kerr must play against the Canucks, no matter the risk.

'Sammy, we need you!! Take some Nurofen, [have a] big can of Red Bull and get out there,' urged one Matildas supporter on social media.

'If Kerr doesn't play I don't think we have a chance of winning,' added another.

Kick-off on Monday is 8pm AEST.