Australian clubs begin second phase of selection process for National Second Tier

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Image credit: Football Australia/Brett Costello

24 clubs will participate in the Request for Proposal (RFP) phase of the National Second Tier (NST) selection process, as Football Australia edges closer to an official start date for the competition.

Only two or four clubs will join the eight foundation clubs for the inaugural competition, which is planned to start in March/April 2025.

Within their submission, clubs will need to demonstrate their operational and commercial readiness, alignment with strategic objectives, and a commitment to developing talent and engaging communities.

To assess clubs’ financial readiness, Football Australia has again sought the services of Australian financial services firm, BDO, to deliver analysis that will be crucial to the sustainability of the NST and its member clubs.

Clubs must submit their RFP by mid-April for assessment. The ‘Completion Phase’, where potential clubs will learn their fate, has been set for June 2024.

Speaking via press release, Football Australia CEO James Johnson believes the refined second phase represents a great opportunity for Australian football clubs.

“The RFP phase is a cornerstone in our journey towards a more dynamic and competitive National Second Tier as we look for clubs which will elevate the game, contribute to their communities, and embody the spirit of inclusivity and excellence,” Johnson said.

Football Australia is yet to decide on the format for the inaugural competition, which will be affected by whether it chooses two or four teams from the RFP phase. The two proposed formats are:

  • A 10-team competition with two rounds plus a Finals Series, totalling 18 regular season matches.
  • A 12-team competition with two rounds plus a Finals Series, totalling 22 regular season matches.

Last November, eight clubs from New South Wales and Victoria were successful in the first phase of the NST selection phase. These clubs include:

New South Wales

  • APIA Leichhardt FC
  • Marconi Stallions FC
  • Sydney Olympic FC
  • Sydney United 58 FC
  • Wollongong Wolves FC

Victoria

  • Avondale FC
  • Preston Lions FC
  • South Melbourne FC

Clubs from states outside New South Wales and Victoria will be hopeful of their inclusion to make the second tier truly national, but as CEO Johnson eludes, the selection process will not be sentimental.

“Our goal is clear: to identify clubs that align with our strategic objectives and are ready to rise to the occasion. The clubs that join us in this journey will play a crucial role in enriching the tapestry of Australian football,” Johnson added via media release.

The NST represents an exciting opportunity for Australian football to evolve on an unprecedented scale. Football fans should be reassured by Football Australia’s commitment to delivering a careful and considered selection process that ensures the safety of Australia’s most significant football institutions.

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Coles MiniRoos Program Opens Football Pathway for Children aged 4 to 11 across Australia

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Football Australia’s Coles MiniRoos program is welcoming new participants across the country, offering children aged 4 to 11 a structured and inclusive introduction to football through local clubs and schools.

Now one of Australia’s largest grassroots sporting initiatives, MiniRoos operates across two streams designed to meet children at different stages of their footballing journey. Coles MiniRoos Kick-Off, available to children aged 4 to 11, provides a non-competitive, skills-based entry point for those new to the game, using short game-based sessions of 45 to 60 minutes to build confidence and basic technique. Coles MiniRoos Club Team, open to children aged 5 to 11, moves into small-sided club football- formats of 4v4, 7v7 and 9v9- designed to maximise touches, involvement and opportunity for developing players.

Both programs run for between four and twelve weeks and are delivered by local clubs and schools, keeping participation embedded in the communities where children already live and learn.

The program’s structure reflects a broader shift in how junior sport is being designed. Small-sided formats give younger players more contact with the ball and more meaningful involvement in each session, addressing one of the most common reasons children disengage from team sport early: the experience of spending more time watching than playing.

The timing carries particular significance. With the AFC Women’s Asian Cup currently underway and women’s football participation in Australia at record levels, the pipeline that will sustain that growth over the next decade is being built now, in programs like this one, in communities across the country.

Coles MiniRoos is approved by Football Australia and open to children of all abilities. Registrations are open now through local clubs and schools.

Filopoulos: Football Must Move Beyond Campaigns to Win Fans for Good

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Image Credit: Perth Glory

Global marketing and advisory firm Bastion has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Peter Filopoulos as Managing Director, Experience. This decision brings one of Australian football’s most influential administrators into a new phase of the sports business landscape.

Filopoulos, who has held senior roles across Football Australia, Football Victoria and Perth Glory, will lead Bastion’s experiential and partnerships division, applying a football-informed lens to brand engagement.

Drawing on his time in the game, Filopoulos emphasised the importance of cohesion in building meaningful fan connections.

“For me, the biggest lesson is that fans don’t see brand, content and experience as individual silos, they experience it all as one connected ecosystem,” he said.

“At Football Australia, the work resonated most when everything was aligned; the team, the narrative, the partners and the matchday experience all working together to feel cohesive and authentic. That’s when engagement moves beyond interaction and becomes something far more meaningful.”

He added that too many organisations still treat fan engagement as short-term.

“Where a lot of organisations fall short is treating fan engagement as a campaign. It’s not, it’s an always-on system.”

Filopoulos’ move reflects a broader shift within football, where commercial growth is increasingly driven by experience-led strategy.

“At Bastion, we put experience at the centre—because it’s where the brand comes to life, where partners integrate in a way that adds real value and where fans genuinely connect,” he said.

“Our focus is on building platforms that bring fans closer to the brand… Get that right, and you’re creating something people actively want to be part of.”

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