Macarthur FC invests in its community with new ‘Bulls in Schools’ program

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Macarthur FC Bulls in Schools
Image credit: Macarthur FC

Macarthur FC has partnered with the NSW Government to instigate a new community outreach program ‘Bulls in Schools’.

The program that will be based in south-west Sydney will be a partnership between A-League clubs Macarthur, Western Sydney Wanderers and the NSW government.

The deal is set to benefit up to 40,000 students and will focus on delivering football programs to school students within the region the clubs are based out of.

The Football in Schools Program that Bulls in Schools is a component of is set to be a major part of the upcoming NSW state budget.

The program will last for four years and will cost $14.5 million.

It is set to feature a wide range of initiatives that will aim to get more students to participate in sport.

These programs will mainly centre on after school programs and are set to be delivered both in-schools and on-site at the Bulls and Wanders A-league training facilities.

In the spirit of diversity, the program is set to include targeted female, multicultural, and all-abilities programs.

NSW Minister for Sport, Steve Kamper, spoke of the opportunity that this program will have for so many students.

“40,000 kids will be able to participate in football programs with some of the best footballers and coaches in our nation,” he said via press release.

“The Football in Schools Program will see more Western Sydney students participating in sport and enjoying the benefits of that it offers. “We understand that families in Western Sydney are feeling the crunch of cost-of-living pressures and this free program will ensure that no child regardless of their background or ability misses out.”

Prue Car, Member for Western Sydney and NSW Minister for Education, also added to these sentiments.

“Education is not just about books and laptops, some of the best lessons in life are on the sports field,” she said via press release.

“By working in partnership with the Western Sydney Wanderers and Macarthur FC, the Football in Schools Program will bring the classroom to the football pitch.”

Macarthur FC Chairman Gino Marra added to the club’s delight in being able to use this opportunity to engrain itself further in the south-west Sydney community.

“This commitment by the NSW Government into our Bulls in Schools and community program is a major investment into the future of south-west Sydney,” he said via press release.

“The key pillars our community programs are health & wellbeing, education and inclusion. We are proud to have had more than 60,000 children take part and today’s commitment from the state government will significantly expand the scope of our program across our region.”

This is a huge announcement both in terms of supporting the local community and developing football in NSW.

By having both major south-western Sydney clubs joined together on this program it shows the ability of major stake holders in the sport to come together for the sport and its next generation development.

Even though football at the highest level is naturally competitive, it is great to see clubs put aside these difference in order to help grow the game in diverse and inclusive ways.

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South Canberra FC Breaks the Mold: Equity-Driven Model Earns ‘Club Changer’ Honour

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South Canberra Football Club has been named Club Changer of the Month for April, in a recognition that reflects a broader shift across Australian football toward rewarding clubs that are actively dismantling the structural barriers limiting women’s access to the game.

The AFC Women’s Asian Cup has just delivered record crowds and unprecedented visibility for women’s football in Australia, and the Club Changer program is now asking what comes next. Its decision to name South Canberra Football Club as Club Changer of the Month for April signals a clear shift in how the program defines contribution: away from participation numbers alone, and toward the equity frameworks that determine whether women stay in the game once they arrive.

South Canberra FC built that framework from the ground up. Established in 2021, the club set out to give women and female-identifying players a safe, inclusive environment to play football at any level. It runs entirely on volunteers, operates as a not-for-profit, and is governed by an all-female committee with 13 of its 14 coaches identifying as female.

 

Building the infrastructure of inclusion

In 2026, the club secured grant funding and put it to work immediately. Two coaches are completing their C Licence qualification, and ten coaches, players and community members have undertaken the Foundations of Football course, which directly tackles the cost and accessibility barriers that exclude women out of coaching pathways.

The club also commissioned a female-specific strength and conditioning program with sports physiotherapists ahead of the 2026 season, targeting injury prevention and explicitly supporting players returning after childbirth.

SCFC’s leadership team draws from LGBTIQ+ individuals, First Nations people and veterans, strengthening the club’s connection to the communities it was built to represent.

The Club Changer program is backing clubs that do this work- clubs that treat equity as infrastructure rather than aspiration. At a moment when Australian football is under pressure to turn its biggest-ever surge of women’s interest into something lasting, SCFC’s model offers a clear answer to the question of how.

Football NSW announces 2026 First Nations Scholarships as pathway access program enters new phase

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Image Credit: Football NSW

Football NSW has announced the recipients of its 2026 First Nations Scholarships, with ten emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players from metropolitan and regional NSW receiving support designed to reduce the financial and structural barriers that have historically limited First Nations participation across the football pathway.

The scholarship program, developed and assessed in collaboration with the Football NSW Indigenous Advisory Group, targets players across both elite and development environments – recognising that talent identification alone is insufficient without the resources to support progression once players are identified.

Co-Chair of the Indigenous Advisory Group Bianca Dufty said the calibre of this year’s recipients reflected the depth of First Nations football talent across the state, and the importance of structured support in converting that talent into long-term participation.

“Their dedication to football and the desire to be role models for younger Aboriginal footballers in their communities is to be celebrated,” Dufty said. “I’m confident we will see some of these talented footballers in the A-League and national teams in the future.”

 

Beyond the pitch and into the pipeline

The 2026 cohort spans both metropolitan clubs and regional associations, an intentional distribution that acknowledges the particular barriers facing First Nations players outside major population centres, where access to development programs, qualified coaching and pathway competitions is more limited and the cost of participation more prohibitive.

The next phase of the program will introduce First Nations coaching scholarships, extending the initiative’s reach beyond playing pathways and into the coaching and administration pipeline – areas where Indigenous representation remains among the lowest in the game.

The structural logic is clear. Scholarships that reduce financial barriers at the entry point of elite pathways matter most when they are part of a sustained ecosystem of support rather than isolated gestures. Football NSW’s collaboration with the Indigenous Advisory Group provides that continuity, ensuring the program is shaped by the communities it is designed to serve.

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