Soccerscene the only online publication dedicated to the Australian and international football industry. It serves as a practical guide for those involved in the business of running a football club and bringing readers up-to-date research and development across all football matters providing insights, discussion and information related to topics that matter.
$200 million announced for women’s sport: All the credit but not full reward
Following the record-breaking FIFA Women’s World Cup played in Australia, the Federal Government has announced $200 million to women’s sport under their newly unveiled Play Our Way scheme.
The new program will aim to improve women’s sport across the nation helping to bring about much needed female tailored infrastructure and improve access to women’s sport generally as participation demand sees huge increases in the wake of the global competition.
The scheme will be open to all women’s sports across the nation, something that has led to much criticism from football fans who see it as an appropriation of football’s achievement for the benefit of other already better funded codes. However, the government expects football to be the major beneficiary as demand following the cup to participate in women’s football has skyrocketed.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese thanked the Matildas and expressed the importance of their historic run for all women’s sport when explaining the funds cross sport nature.
“The Matildas have given us a moment of national inspiration; this is about seizing that opportunity for the next generation, investing in community sporting facilities for women and girls around Australia,” Albanese said in a statement.
“We want women and girls everywhere in Australia to have the facilities and the support to choose a sport they love.”
The Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson met this announcement with some criticism.
“The passion for the sport is there, the players are there. It’s giving them a fair chance … to make sure there’s investment in grassroots football so more can play and stay in the game for longer. Making sure there’s pathways for every single player. Make sure the facilities are there to play. It comes down to investment,” he told media.
Although the federal announcement is not an allotment reserved just for football this does not mean that all the recently announced funding is so broad. In fact, the NSW government has committed $10 million just for football “at all levels” to act as a “legacy” of their hosting of the Cup and South Australia has promised $28 million to female sport in general, with $10 million reserved just for football.
The announcement was also a chance for the Federal Government to announce their exploration of new anti-siphoning laws that will aim to make more major sporting events in the coming years available via free-to-air TV. The report into these laws comes as a response to the Matildas’ semi-final against England being the most watched show since TV ratings began.
These announcements are clearly a huge victory for women’s sport in Australia and for consumers. However, there are clearly questions that rightful should be raised regarding the targeting of this funding and if credit is being given where credit is due.
It is indisputable that the nature of football itself was a key factor in financial and viewer success of Cup so why isn’t it getting to have the majority share of funding for the industry it is creating? In fact, football has often suffered this kind of slight despite participation in it being twice as large as Australian Rules football, netball, or cricket.
Therefore, we do welcome and applaud the government’s commitment to improving gender equality in sport, however in defence of football we disagree with the Matildas washing happening for the benefit of the other codes as it should not be used to side-line the game that helped it happen.
This is not advocating that this should be another battle in the code wars between football and the traditional major codes. Instead, it’s advocating that there is indeed a time for investment for everyone but when one sport does so much for the sporting landscape – it’s a matter of respect for them that they get to enjoy an unshared moment in the funding limelight.
Hence, as per Sam Kerr’s words following the semi-final – “We need funding in our development. We need funding in our grassroots. We need funding everywhere.”
Melbourne's Federation Square. Credit BBC Sport/GETTY IMAGES
Australian football is continuing to grow, with record attendances and TV viewership up year-on-year due to the increasing value and demand of games across the country.
What started as a small ember stoked by a cultural heritage brought from Europe, has borne a league invested in by foreign states and major global equity firms, and a country that consistently supports its national teams at major tournaments globally; the fire is truly alive. But, can it be sustained and given even more life?
Ann-Marie Balliana, secretary of Illawarra club Fairy Meadow United, spoke with Soccerscene. ‘The biggest challenge for football in this country is how to take advantage of huge grassroots numbers and translate this into support for other levels of the game,’ said Balliana, formerly a long-term CEO of Football South Coast.
‘Instead of capitalising on this huge asset of participation numbers, it appears football is unfortunately bound by limited investment and various layers of internal boundaries.
‘There are lots of opportunities for football to rise to the next level, and significant work required to get there.’
The World Cup proves football belongs in Australia:
The success of the Socceroos in reaching the last six consecutive men’s World Cups has greatly boosted the domestic interest in football, with the 2026 World Cup highlighting how far the team has come, and how many people are behind them to succeed. The SBS and SBS On Demand coverage of the tournament reached over 18 million Australians (64% of the population) and over 209 million hours were consumed via these sites. Meanwhile, over 10,000 dedicated fans paid up to AUD $25,000 to watch their country participate live in North America.
I took in the tournament from Melbourne, and the energy among the city was undeniable. Bubbling with excitement were people conversing who usually wouldn’t, and there lay an air of calm between the 90 minutes of euphoric nation-wide highs.
Federation Square was at full capacity (7,500) for many of the group games and the knockout match against Egypt- despite the 4.00am kick-off time.
Alongside that, AAMI Park held 6,000 more spectators in the early hours of the day for the knockout game. Despite the time zone killing any convenience, the fans diligently showed up. The post-World Cup glow also took effect: Queensland selling out both recent friendlies against Brazil.
World Cup 2026 TV ratings
Match
Overall reach
Average audience viewership
Key detail
Final: Spain vs France
5.26m (peak)
2.69m
Most watched World Cup match in SBS history
Australia vs Paraguay
4.84m
3.09m
Highest viewed fixture for Socceroos
Australia vs Turkey
4.78m
3.04m
Top performing early fixture
The rise of the domestic game persists:
Domestically too, figures show Australian football is continuing to grow. October’s 2026 Australia Cup final betweenSouth Melbourne and Melbourne Victory was not only a match that will be remembered by fans for its entertainment and underdog storyline, but for investors and governing bodies that can clearly see the growing market for football in this country. AAMI Park had its record attendance broken as 29,911 spectators packed in to watch the game. Furthermore, the TV viewership of the Cup final had a 56% increase from the previous year. The demand for football is growing significantly.
A-League Stats and Records 2025/26 season:
3 sold out finals games- 22% increase on attendance last season.
27% increase in digital viewership on Paramount+ and 17% on 10 Streaming.
For the last four seasons, over 1.3 million fans have attended games throughout the campaign
TV viewership exceeded 11 million views.
Social media reached over 7 million people (10% increase).
Newcastle Jets, Adelaide United and Perth Glory all broke their previous attendance records.
The Cup final saw a non A-League club win the trophy for the first time in competition history.
South Melbourne fans. Credit SMFC
‘It also showed that NPL clubs such as South Melbourne have a fantastic support base, and this shows the potential of football to really capitalise on the community support that does exist for clubs,’ said Balliana.
‘The costs of running an A-League club are clearly the biggest issue in growing our national competition, and without significant investment through broadcast, government and other revenue streams, there are limited opportunities to take advantage of huge grassroots numbers.’
England is widely regarded as having the best domestic competitions on the planet, largely due to its impact on communities right across the country. However, its most attractive quality is competitiveness, and this is best showcased in the FA Cup. Teams across all divisions have the chance to play against each other, which occasionally sees semi-professional ‘non-league’ sides the opportunity to play against a giant, such as Manchester United or Liverpool.
Often referred to as the ‘magic’ of the cup, there is a belief that any team can win on any given day – even if their odds of succeeding are the football equivalent of what David had in beating Goliath.
The magic is in the upsets, and that competitiveness is what ties the whole football pyramid together. For the game in Australia to grow, and to sustain itself, matches must be competitive from the first minute to the last, from the A-Leagues to the grassroots pitches all across the country.
The importance of grassroots football:
To understand football- from financial investments, market growth, popularity or simply emotional attachment – you have to start at the bottom of the pyramid. The base of football in every country is the grassroots game. It lays the foundation, and both the future of the A-League and the Soceroos & Matildas is entirely in the hands of the grassroots level.
Globally, amateur matches are played everyday. Those clubs have a youth system, in which the talent pool is small, and so more established clubs recruit players from that pool. This process continues all the way to the world’s elite. Domestic talent comes from grassroots football, and without domestic talent, the game is nothing. Once a fire is lit, it needs a constant fuel source to keep it alive. If the wood is wet or rotting, the fire will slowly dissipate into ash. To keep that from happening, the fuel needs to be re-supplied so it steadily grows. Neglecting grassroots football is the quickest way for the game to decline and it is why it is imperative that it is well-funded.
‘Grassroots football is where children start their journey in football. It’s where players fall in love with the game and develop a passion for playing,’ said Balliana. ‘This not only applies to players, but also administrators, coaches and referees. Grassroots football creates opportunities for all roles across football providing pathways across all levels of the game.’
Recently, Football NSW pledged over AUD $200,000 to three amateur clubs. The funding will allow them to upgrade facilities, create more inclusive and accessible environments and improve the fans match day experience.
Additionally, since 2020 the Dickinson Foundation set up the Active Kids Grant and has provided over AUD $5.5 million worth of equipment and uniform to support over 1000 community clubs. In 2026, 40 football clubs were supported nationwide.
Commitment to grassroots is necessary, nation-wide. With it, clubs can grow and give players the opportunity to improve and be noticed by more established teams. Investing in grassroots football is investing in the future.
Finance and infrastructure:
As the game has grown throughout the pyramid, so too has investment in it. Globally speaking, football is an industry that has boomed in the digital age, and grown beyond what was previously conceived as possible. Some investors were early; others are riding the wave hoping it never breaks, but inevitably it will. Everything has to peak, yet that doesn’t mean all conclusions are negative Whatever the fate of the financial wave, neither a tsunami nor shallow brake will impact people’s true love of the game. The game may take many forms, but the fans will be there for generations to come.
In 2021, US private equity firm Silver Lake acquired a 33.3% minority stake in the A-League for AUD 140 million that valued the whole organisation at AUD 425 million. The finances of the APL have been an issue in the years since, and what becomes of their relationship with Silver Lake remains to be seen. In positive news, Network 10 & Paramount+ recently renewed their broadcast deal worth AUD 100million for an additional two years, so interest is there. Domestically, football has plenty of space to grow.
‘There is always a direct relationship between World Cup success and increased participation given the exposure of football is heightened and more people want to play,’ Balliana continued. ‘However, this also comes with challenges as infrastructure is clearly not to the level it needs to be to support the size and growth of football across our region and the country.’
As audiences grow – particularly when it comes to our national teams – the fire will continue to need fuel, and that can only be sourced organically from the ground up. Through the continued development of grassroots football, football can still grow to be the dominant sport in this country.
South Melbourne’s push to enter the A-League has reopened an old debate about who gets to play at the top level of Australian football. Beneath the arguments about history, identity and sporting merit sits a more consequential business question: what should a place in the competition actually cost?
Following its Australia Cup triumph, the debate and discussion around South Melbourne’s bid to enter the A-League has reignited. Co-president Bill Papastergiadis has indicated the club is open to discussing a licence fee, while arguing it does not need an equity stake in the Australian Professional Leagues (APL).
The question is whether entry to the A-League should be treated purely as a commercial asset to be purchased, or whether it should also provide a pathway for clubs capable of bringing genuine value to the competition.
The Price of Admission
A licence offers access to a national platform, broadcast exposure, sponsorship opportunities and the country’s highest domestic competition. The APL is entitled to protect that value and ensure any new entrant has the financial resources, infrastructure and governance to sustain a professional operation.
South Melbourne should not receive a free pass because of its history, supporter base or Australia Cup success. Winning a knockout competition is not the same as demonstrating the capacity to operate a professional club across an entire season.
But a licence fee should not become a barrier that protects the competition’s existing membership at the expense of its future.
There is also a risk that licence fees become little more than short-term sugar hits for the competition, delivering an immediate injection of cash without addressing the longer-term challenge of building sustainable clubs, growing audiences and increasing recurring commercial revenue.
Assessing the Value of Established Clubs
South Melbourne is not starting from scratch. It has an established supporter base, a home at Lakeside Stadium and a storied history in Australian football. Its profile and recent success give the APL a tangible proposition to assess, rather than a business plan built entirely around projected growth.
Nor is South Melbourne necessarily alone. Other established Australian clubs may have the supporters, facilities, community connections and ambition to make a credible case for joining the professional ranks. Not all would be ready, and maybe not all would strengthen the A-League. But that is precisely why the league needs clear, consistent criteria to assess potential entrants on their financial capacity, infrastructure and commercial potential as well as what they could contribute to the competition.
That contribution should count. New audiences, local rivalries, sponsor appeal and stronger connections between community and professional football all have value. An established club may offer a different proposition from launching a new team and trying to build a supporter base from the ground up.
There are, of course, significant costs involved. South Melbourne would need to demonstrate how it could fund professional men’s and women’s programs, generate sustainable revenue and protect its existing operations. A licence fee must be considered alongside the rights, obligations, access to central revenue and commercial opportunities that come with entry. The price cannot sensibly be separated from what a club receives in return.
The Promotion and Relegation Question
This is also where the debate connects to the lack of promotion and relegation. If the system is considered financially unviable under the A-League’s current structure, clubs and supporters deserve a clear explanation. What are the specific financial, stadium, broadcast or governance barriers? What would need to change to make it possible? It is simply down to the licence fees that have already been paid by the existing A-League clubs?
Promotion and relegation is clearly not an immediate or realistic solution, and introducing it would not automatically create a healthier competition and ecosystem. But if it remains off the table, Australian football needs to offer ambitious clubs something more tangible than an uncertain promise of expansion.
Providing a Clear Pathway
A transparent licensing process, published entry criteria and a clear explanation of what clubs must demonstrate would at least provide a pathway to work towards. Clubs investing in players, facilities and academies need to understand what it takes to reach the top. Supporters deserve to know how their clubs can progress, too.
The A-League needs entrants capable of surviving and investing for the long term. It also needs to recognise the value that established clubs can bring. If the price of entry is focused primarily on extracting the largest possible payment, the league risks overlooking opportunities to grow its audiences, strengthen rivalries and deepen its connection with Australian football.
South Melbourne’s bid is an opportunity to test that balance. The question is not whether the club should simply be handed a place in the A-League, but whether Australian football can develop a licensing model that rewards financial responsibility while recognising the value of clubs that have already built something worth bringing to the national stage.
It seems a licence must have a price. But if the A-League wants to grow sustainably, it must also explain what that price is designed to achieve and provide a clearer answer to clubs and supporters asking how the pathway to the top is meant to work.
