A-Leagues launch new digital hub for football

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The Australian Professional Leagues (APL), the entity charged with growing the professional football leagues in Australia, has unveiled its unique digital platform KEEPUP in an effort to unite football fans on and off the pitch.

Featuring football content from around the world, the platform aims to broaden and enhance the fan experience by connecting A-Leagues fans and international competition fans in one place.

The KEEPUP digital platform and data infrastructure, which launched today, represents a major investment in football in Australia. It is currently available as a website or app on both IOS and Android.

In its current form, the platform will focus on creating and curating content to bring fans close to the game however they choose, with significant expansion planned into the future.

KEEPUP will feature compelling content from the best of the A-Leagues, European and world football, the Socceroos and Matildas, NPL, and FFA Cup. A-League clubs’ content hubs will also be integrated onto the platform to ensure fans are offered the most comprehensive football resource available in Australia.

“KEEPUP is a football platform, built by football people for football fans and which delivers a unique experience and provides a central source of news and features to unite the currently fragmented football market. Our digital-first strategy creates the opportunity for our fans to experience what’s happening in the world of football, both on and off the pitch,” said Ant Hearne, Chief Commercial Officer, APL.

KEEPUP will continue to evolve through the season as it adds layers of dedicated coverage, augmented by significant tie-ups with domestic and international content providers.

KEEPUP has already assembled an unprecedented array of voices to tell unique and powerful stories about football in Australia and around the world. The site and app will provide insights, in-depth features and analysis on games, transfer news, as well as stories on culture and football identities from a team of football journalists on staff led by Richard Bayliss, Director of Content.

APL will also feature commentary from some of Australia’s football elite including Premier League great Mark Bosnich, Matildas legend Melissa Barbieri and Socceroos captain Matt Leckie.

“And this is just the beginning. We have a bold plan to evolve KEEPUP into an unparalleled global digital hub, expanding functionality beyond a content base to include gamification, e-Commerce, ticketing, second screen live stadium experiences and loyalty programs,” continued Hearne.

Future phases of development also include engagement with Australian grassroots football players via digital products and services designed to improve their football experience, to ensure every fan can enjoy the football in the way they choose.

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Peter Kokotis: South Melbourne Was Never Built to Finish Second

Staff Writer

South Melbourne football director, Peter Kokotis, has just one complaint following the club’s historic Australia Cup triumph last Saturday: that the team he has played a primary role in building may not have had due time to take it all in.

As those players – just a week on from becoming the first semi-professionals to win the national Cup – headed to Sydney for their next assignment, Kokotis took a rare moment to himself. Remaining in Melbourne, he reflected on what the achievement meant to the club he started supporting as an eight-year old in 1979, his uncle earlier a signatory to their 1959 establishment.

‘As was common with a lot of young Greek boys, our fathers were of a different generation. My father was in the hospitality industry, always working nights. So that two, three hours with him every second Sunday was gold to me. It was my time with dad,’ Kokotis told Soccerscene Unfiltered.

‘Once we dropped to the State League in 2005 some of us stayed, but a lot left or didn’t come at all, or went off to Melbourne Victory. We went from an NSL powerhouse to a club struggling to compete.

‘The last seven days [as we spoke] haven’t been normal. It’s been an incredible outpouring of emotion, gratitude from all over the community with people reaching out. It’s been really refreshing and lovely to listen to people’s stories of how it’s impacted them.’

From the gloom, South Melbourne now finds itself in its strongest position of the post-NSL era. Once a FIFA-licensed player agent, Kokotis has served as South’s general manager, a board member, and the past two seasons as senior football director – an immense task, given the relentless schedule the club is undertaking.

Off-field, they’re banging at the gates for an A-League license, a status they’ve been denied numerous times over the past 20 years. This time does feel different; with the A-League stagnating and South packing the stands on Cup final night, their top-flight exclusion looks ever-more incongruous with the broader health of the game.

While their preparedness to step up can’t just hinge on a result here or there, Kokotis is aware their on-field showings do supplement their attractiveness as a proposition – significantly.

‘We are evolving as a club, and there are many things we do outside of the senior team that are about cultural connection, the wider community. We’re not just a team that cares about trophies and silverware,’ he says.

‘But South is not a club built on coming second… and [winning] is my area. I feel the responsibility, the legacy and the history of the club, and all the success and great people that have come before us.

‘I feel obligated to maintain the machine and keep it going. This time is unique with what’s going on in the football landscape, and success now is very important.’

Catch the full chat with Peter Kokotis on Soccerscene Unfiltered: from helping Brazilian flair reach Australia and backing the unfancied Sinisa Cohadzic, to the top-down versus bottom-up growth debate, and plenty more…

Australian Sports Group reveals ambitious blueprint for Canberra United

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Image Credits: Canberra United

New Canberra United owners, Australian Sports Group, have outlined an ambitious investment blueprint for the future of the club.

The plans centre around strengthening the club’s foundations, establishing elite academy pathways, and the introduction of an A-League Men’s team. More broadly, it aims to create a stronger football ecosystem that connects players, clubs and communities across the Australian Capital Territory.

A key pillar of the strategy is the development of an elite academy. The proposed pathways will create opportunities for emerging talent to progress towards professional football, strengthening the connection between grassroots participation and the elite game. The academy would form an important foundation for the proposed A-League Men’s team. ASG are targeting an entry into the Men’s competition from 2028/29, pending required process.

The introduction of a men’s team would expand the club’s professional offering and create additional opportunities for players, coaches and football staff. It would also give local talent a clearer pathway towards senior football without having to leave the region.

Infrastructure investment is another central component of the blueprint. The group plans to improve football facilities and secure a long-term home for the club. These developments would support the women’s program while laying the groundwork for future expansion.

The strategy also prioritises stronger engagement across the ACT football community. The ownership group plans to work with local stakeholders and government to align the club’s growth with broader priorities for sport and community development.

The immediate focus remains on stabilising the women’s program and building the structures needed for long-term success. This approach provides a foundation for the club to expand its operations while maintaining its existing identity and community connections.

The investment blueprint signals a broader ambition for Canberra United. By combining elite player development, improved infrastructure and the potential introduction of a men’s team, the group aims to establish a sustainable professional football model for the capital. The vision positions Canberra United as a platform for growth across the region, with a pathway to connect grassroots participation, academy development and professional competition.

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