Liverpool Olympic FC enjoy game-changing grant from NSW Football Legacy Fund

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Liverpool Olympic FC NSW grant
Image via Football NSW & South West Voice

Liverpool Olympic FC received over $60,000 as part of the NSW Football Legacy Fund initiative, helping to upgrade its footballing facilities in Sydney’s South West.

The initiative, which was announced in 2022 as a collaboration between the NSW Government, Football NSW and Northern NSW Football Federation, provides up to $6.21 million to federation-affiliated, not for profit football clubs and associations.

The fund aims to help clubs in two areas, participation and infrastructure, with its goal being to capture the increasing interest in football following the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

Liverpool Olympic are one of many clubs in NSW to be successful in their funding application, with money going towards upgrading its existing clubrooms and football amenities.

The club, founded in 1983, have been playing football at Hoxton Park Reserve in Hinchinbrook since 1990 and have not had a significant facilities upgrade since 2002.

Speaking to the South West Voice, Liverpool Olympic FC’s Committee spokesperson Damien Gauci believes the club’s selection will be crucial to its future.

“The funds from these grants will assist the club in their plans to have all players training and playing games in suitable facilities with safe equipment, including our disability group, SNAPParoos,’’ Gauci said.

Football NSW and Southern Districts Football Association, of which Olympic are a member, have long-collaborated on the SNAPParoos program that provides an environment for children and adults with disabilities to participate in football.

As recognised by Gauci, the grant will have a lasting effect on the club’s vision of making football accessible for all ages, genders and abilities.

Another key part of the legacy fund is the equitable provision of infrastructure and resources for women’s football specifically, demonstrating a commitment to Football Australia’s overarching Legacy ‘23 strategy that aims to have 50% female participation by 2027.

Liverpool Olympic, alongside other clubs in NSW, will now have greater capacity to make football not just a more inclusive participatory experience, but to be at the forefront of their respective communities.

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Football NSW calls on clubs to Make It Red for Heart Health Round

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Image Credit: Shutterstock

Football NSW is calling on clubs and associations across the state to register for the 2026 Make It Red campaign, joining a national awareness movement aimed at reducing heart-related deaths on sporting grounds ahead of Heart Health Round on the weekend of June 5 to 7.

The campaign, developed by the Heartbeat of Football Foundation, asks sporting clubs to wear red, raise funds and build awareness around heart disease and sudden cardiac arrest, which is the leading single cause of disease burden and death in Australia for both men and women, and one that health authorities say is largely preventable through modifiable risk factors.

The call to action comes as the Foundation continues its work to map and register Automated External Defibrillators across NSW sporting facilities, a project that has already engaged twelve football associations and fed data into both the NSW Ambulance GoodSAM registry and NSW Health’s public AED map. The availability of a functioning, registered AED on site is among the most significant determinants of survival following sudden cardiac arrest, with survival rates declining sharply for every minute without defibrillation.

Football NSW is encouraging clubs to engage with the campaign across three areas. Clubs can register for the Make It Red campaign to help fund research, education and prevention programs. Participants, particularly those aged over 35, are encouraged to seek a free heart health screening test from their local GP or enquire about hosting a Heartbeat of Football testing day. Clubs are also urged to ensure their grounds have active, accessible AEDs in place, with guidance available through Football NSW’s Rescue Ready Guide.

The Make It Red campaign runs from June 5 to July 12, with Heart Health Round taking place across the opening weekend. Clubs can register and access participation resources at makeitred.org.

Community Spirit Shines on AFC Grassroots Football Day 2026

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Image credit: Football Australia

This week, Football Australia (FA) celebrated AFC Grassroots Football Day 2026, championing the people and communities who continue to hold up a safe, inclusive and supportive environment in the football landscape.

‘For all, for life’

In collaboration with Football NSW, Canterbury Football Association and community club, Balmain & District Football Club, the day reflected the very best of what football provides.

The event brought in participants of all ages – from 4-74 years-old – and reached a total of 400 people. Girls-only programs, all-abilities sessions and over-age football ensured all were catered for.

Such a diverse range of participants builds on a wider drive during FIFA World Football Week, which seeks to promote the sport not just as the dazzling lights of 100,000-seater stadiums, but as a way to foster community spirit and social development.

Furthermore, FA support through its Club Changer program was a welcome addition to the action, emphasising the organisation’s commitment to nurture a real love for the game across communities in Australia.

“Through Club Changer we support our clubs to provide a safe, fun and enjoyable environment where everyone is welcome; whether that be as a player, volunteer, referee or supporter,” explained National Program Manager Club Development at FA, Grace Lambourne.

“Everyone should feel they belong and are welcome to play, stay, and love the game.”

 

A welcome celebration

While the upcoming FIFA World Cup will no doubt inspire millions of future Socceroos and Matildas, events like the AFC Grassroots Football Day represent something beyond just inspiration.

It is a platform. An opportunity to express a love for football and to connect with others while doing so.

And connections between the professional and grassroots game is more important than ever if Australia is to nurture the next generation of talent.

This is particularly clear in the rise of women’s football across the nation. Since the FIFA Women’s World Cup, female participation rose by 32%, and registrations for the MiniTillies Program skyrocketed from 264 in 2023, to 1223 in 2024.

The professionals spark passion. But communities turn that passion into playing time.

That is why celebrating grassroots football – and the volunteers and families who sustain it – is a vital part of Australia’s football future. Together, FA and the AFC are creating strong foundations built on positivity, engagement, and inclusivity for all with a love for the beautiful game.

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