Adelaide United and AMES Collaborate to Foster Social Inclusion

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Image credit: Adelaide United

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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FQ Reinstates WinterFest 2026 at the Sunshine Coast

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Image Credit: Football Queensland

Football Queensland (FQ) has confirmed WinterFest, the state’s premier junior football carnival, will return to the Sunshine Coast from 1 to 5 July 2026; this time at a new home in the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC).

Delivered in partnership with Sunshine Coast Council and Visit Sunshine Coast, the five-day carnival will span USC and Sunshine Coast Wanderers FC, hosting Under 9 to Under 11 Boys and Under 11 Girls teams from every corner of the state.

WinterFest is not simply a competition. Within FQ’s development framework, the carnival serves a dual function, to expose elite junior players to FQ Technical staff, whilst providing emerging referees with live matchday experience under the guidance of senior officials.

“The carnival plays an important role in nurturing not only our most promising young players, who can showcase their abilities in front of FQ Technical staff who continue to monitor their ongoing development, but also our cohort of emerging referees from across Queensland,” said Ryan Fett, FQ General Manager- Football, Infrastructure & Club Development.

The shift to USC is deliberate. FQ has signalled an intention to elevate the event experience year-on-year, and a university campus venue, with its infrastructure and capacity, reflects that ambition more than a traditional football ground would.

Beyond the Pitch

The tournament’s footprint, however, extends well beyond the pitch. With thousands of visiting families descending on the region across five days, WinterFest functions as a significant economic activation for the Sunshine Coast during what is otherwise a quieter winter period.

“WinterFest brings enormous energy to the region, the USC and Buderim fields will be buzzing and the talent on show outstanding,” said Sunshine Coast Resilient Economy Portfolio Councillor Terry Landsberg.

The language- “Resilient Economy”- is worth noting. Landsberg’s portfolio title alone signals how local government now frames junior sport: not as community goodwill, but as economic infrastructure.

His reference to Brisbane 2032 made that explicit. “As we move closer to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, these experiences are invaluable for aspiring athletes and equally important for boosting local tourism and supporting our businesses during the winter period.”

Whether a regional Under 11 carnival genuinely feeds an Olympic pipeline is debatable. What isn’t is that the political incentive to frame it that way, with 2032 drawing every level of government into the orbit of sport, is very real.

Football NSW partners with Deploy for Association Championships

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Image credit: Deploy Football

In an announcement released on Thursday this week, Football NSW revealed Deploy as the Naming Rights Partner of the Football NSW Association Championships.

New competition, new talents

The Association Championships, set to take place in July 2026 at Glen Willow Regional Sports Complex in Mudgee, will replace the former Association Youth League.

Although the tournament has changed name, its purpose remains consistent: giving youth players the platform to showcase their talent on the football pitch.

In a display of unity and collective ambition, 18 Associations across New South Wales will enter representative teams, each one featuring gifted grassroots players looking to prove themselves against their peers.

“The Deploy FNSW Association Championships will provide a fantastic platform for our Associations to come together and celebrate the best of elite community football,” said Football NSW CEO, John Tsatsimas via official press release.

“This tournament is all about giving young players, coaches, and referees from every corner of the state a chance to shine and develop in a competitive, supportive environment.”

The partnership between Deploy and Football NSW, therefore, is not merely about a name alteration. It is a collaboration which presents future grassroots talents with a platform and opportunity to compete.

 

Built on shared values

No partnership can succeed without both parties sharing a common goal or set of values. In this case, the alliance between Football NSW and Deploy is built on a commitment to supporting grassroots football and supplying players with quality resources and experiences to showcase their talent.

“Deploy is proud to partner with Football NSW as the Naming Rights Partner of the Association Championships. Community sport plays a vital role in bringing people together and building future leaders, both on and off the field,” explained Chief Commercial Officer at Deploy, Kurt Johnson.

“As long-time partners with Football NSW, this aligns perfectly with our strategy of creating balls designed for each age and skill level of the game, ranging from junior training balls to professional match balls perfect for the competitive environment like the Association Championships.”

Furthermore, with hundreds of participants including players, referees, coaches and supporters due to attend the tournament, the partnership’s impact will extend right across the state of New South Wales.

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