Ticket to Play relaunch welcomed by Football Tasmania

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The Tasmanian Government’s relaunch of the Ticket to Play program has been commended by Football Tasmania.

The initiative, which was announced last Friday by Minister for Sport and Recreation Jane Howlett, is designed to reduce the cost of participating in club sporting activities for Tasmanian children. The ultimate objective of the program is to increase the number of young Tasmanians playing sport.

Applicants seeking vouchers must be a resident of Tasmania, aged between 5 and 18 years old at the time of applying and listed on a valid Centrelink Health Care or Pensioner Concession Card (either their own or their parent, guardian or carer’s) or be in Out of Home Care.

Vouchers can be put toward the cost of club membership or registration fees at sport or recreation organisations who meet certain eligibility requirements. Approved Activity Providers can be searched here.

Sporting clubs and organisations are eligible to be registered as Approved Activity Providers if they are incorporated, not-for-profit entities, have appropriate processes in place to ensure compliance with the Working with Vulnerable People 2013 Act and if they have completed the Ticket to Play Child Safety Survey.

Football Tasmania CEO Matt Bulkeley acknowledged the Ticket to Play program as a surefire way to help make community sport more accessible.

“We know cost can be a barrier to sports participation access for many families, and we congratulate the Government for continuing to address this issue so that more Tasmanians can reap the benefits of playing sport,” Bulkeley said.

“Playing sport, especially for children, has a wide range of benefits which extend far beyond physical health and it’s important every Tasmanian child can access them.

“We have seen a huge up-take of Ticket to Play participants in our clubs since the program was introduced and are looking forward to welcoming even more players to Tasmania’s favourite sport next season.”

Jane Howlett elaborated further by stating: “The program reduces the cost of eligible children’s participation in sport through the provision of vouchers to reduce registration costs.

“Under the 2020-21 program, more than 14,000 vouchers were issued and applications for Ticket to Play 2021-22 are now open until 31 May 2022.

“Playing sport and being physically active when young is key to establishing lifelong healthy habits. It also improves mental health, fosters social skills, promotes teamwork and helps to develop leadership skills.”

The Ticket to Play website can be accessed here.

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Football West runs Indigenous pilot program during NAIDOC Week’s 50th anniversary

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Image Credit: Football West

Football West ran a pilot program for Indigenous children at the Sam Kerr Football Centre during NAIDOC Week’s 50th anniversary. Former Socceroo David Williams delivered the session.

This year’s national NAIDOC theme, “50 Years of Deadly,” marks five decades since the movement began. It honours the Elders, artists and communities who built it.

“Having these young indigenous kids here at the Sam Kerr Football Centre was great to see,” Williams said. “The feeling they got running around the same pitch the Socceroos and Matildas have trained on was special for them and me.”

A player turned administrator

Williams retired from professional football in November 2025 after a career-ending ACL injury. As a teenager he trained with Club Brugge and Liverpool, and coach Miron Bleiberg once described him as the “best Australian prospect since Harry Kewell.”

He went on to become the first Indigenous player to represent Melbourne City, scored in the UEFA Cup against Eintracht Frankfurt, and won the Indian Super League with ATK.

Since retiring, Williams has moved into administration at Football West. He also sits on the Indigenous Football Australia Council, which oversees the grassroots initiative John Moriarty Football.

A name with its own history

Football Australia named Williams head coach of the Charles Perkins XI last year, the governing body’s national Indigenous youth team. Football Australia renamed the side in 2025 in honour of Dr Charles Perkins AO, following endorsement from the Perkins family and the National Indigenous Advisory Group.

Perkins, an Arrernte and Kalkadoon man, played for Adelaide Croatia and Pan Hellenic in the 1950s. He went on to become the first Aboriginal Australian to graduate from university and a leader of the 1965 Freedom Rides.

Football Australia has described the renamed team as reflecting a commitment to embedding cultural identity and leadership within its high-performance pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth.

What happens next

“After living out my dream as a professional player, to now being able to offer experiences like this and hopefully inspire the next generation of young Indigenous footballers is very rewarding,” Williams said. “There is also a lot of talent that we can tap into.”

He said running the session during NAIDOC Week let Football West mark two things at once. “Creating a fun session for these kids during NAIDOC Week meant we could celebrate culture and sport in one go,” he said.

Williams wants the session to become a regular fixture rather than a single event. “Going forward, I would love to put on more of these programs throughout the year and get more indigenous youngsters playing football,” he said.

Football West has not yet confirmed funding or a schedule for further sessions.

World Cup ‘Not For Sale’: Confederations unite against Infantino’s private investment plan

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Image Credits: Associated Press

The global backlash to FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s proposal to sell a minority stake in a new commercial entity overseeing the FIFA World Cup and other major global competitions has continued to intensify. Two of the most powerful confederations have now taken a stand against Infantino’s plan.

UEFA and CONCACAF, in separate statements released today, spoke on behalf of Europe and North America, totalling 96 FIFA member associations. They rejected the proposal, citing serious concerns over governance, transparency and the long-term future of the world’s biggest sporting events.

UEFA’s message left little room for interpretation and has now taken action, boycotting FIFA tournaments.

“The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product,” Europe’s governing body said in its statement.

“The World Cup is not for sale.

UEFA has decided European nations will not participate in any FIFA tournaments if the proposal goes ahead. This includes next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2030 World Cup, of which Spain and Portugal are amongst the hosts.

CONCACAF echoed many of those concerns following meetings involving its member associations. They highlighted what it described as a lack of due process surrounding the proposal.

The confederation questioned the compressed decision-making timeline and the absence of review by FIFA’s governance bodies. The governing body of North America didn’t see the need to seek private equity investment following what has been described as the most profitable FIFA World Cup in history.

Rather than endorsing the proposal, Concacaf instructed its FIFA Council members to engage with FIFA on alternative solutions. These included using FIFA’s existing financial reserves to increase investment in football development across the region.

Growing resistance

Infantino’s proposal would establish a new commercial company, reported to be valued at around AUD $29 billion (USD $20 billion). FIFA seeks to sell up to a 20% stake to outside investors while retaining sporting control. FIFA argues the move would unlock billions in additional development funding for its member associations.

However, critics argue the process has moved forward with insufficient consultation and risks fundamentally changing the priorities of world football.

FIFA and Infantino only need a majority of 106 member states for this proposal to pass. However, with UEFA refusing to play in tournaments and considering other confederations that may choose similar action, the proposal hangs in the balance.

The opposition is no longer confined to Europe and North America. Both Asia’s AFC and South America’s CONMEBOL have signalled their displeasure, having not been consulted on the proposal.

A defining moment for FIFA

With several of football’s most influential confederations now publicly opposing the proposal, Infantino faces one of the biggest governance challenges of his presidency.

While FIFA maintains that sporting decisions would remain under its control, UEFA and CONCACAF have made it clear that football’s most iconic competition should remain a public sporting asset rather than an investment vehicle.

As negotiations continue, it is yet to be seen who else may take a stand against Infantino, but without any European nations partaking in global tournaments, FIFA’s grand plan has taken a major blow.

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