Adelaide United and AMES Collaborate to Foster Social Inclusion

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Adelaide United is excited to team up with AMES Australia to help newly arrived communities across South Australia feel at home. Through football, youth programs, and community initiatives, this agreement aims to support settlement, connection, and integration in meaningful ways.

A Strategic Partnership for Community Impact

Through this strategic collaboration, Adelaide United and AMES will roll out a variety of programs across the 2025/26 A-League Men’s and Women’s seasons. Fans can look forward to multicultural matchdays during Harmony Week, pre-match citizenship ceremonies, junior development clinics, youth engagement events, and volunteer opportunities, all aimed at fostering social inclusion, cultural understanding, and a stronger sense of community.

This partnership is built on a shared mission to empower people and communities through sport. A major focus will be on female-focused football programs that encourage participation, leadership, and confidence among girls and young women from diverse backgrounds.

These initiatives will also include AMES’ ‘Sport for Respect’ program, using football to promote respect, prevent domestic and gender-based violence, and highlight positive role models within the community.

CEO of Adelaide United, Nathan Kosmina, said the joint initiative reflects the Club’s commitment to inclusion and strengthening ties within the community.

“Our purpose extends far beyond the pitch. This partnership with AMES is a natural extension of our values of inclusion, respect, and empowerment. By using football as a vehicle for social connection and opportunity, we’re proud to play a role helping newly arrived communities feel welcome and supported as they begin their new lives in South Australia,” he said via Club Statement.

AMES CEO, Catherine Scarth, welcomed the partnership emphasising how it can help migrants and refugees achieve lasting settlement and build a strong sense of belonging.

“Football is the world game, and it has the power to bring diverse communities and people together. We value our partnership with Adelaide United because of the opportunities it presents for our clients and the communities we work with in terms of access to sport, community engagement, education and employment,” she said via press release.

Conclusion

Under the arrangement, Adelaide United will open up its Club facilities for AMES-led programs, including youth workshops, community gatherings, and joint planning sessions creating a professional and welcoming space for everyone involved.

Adelaide United and AMES are excited to grow a lasting alliance that harnesses the power of football to promote inclusion, empower communities, and drive positive social change.

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

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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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