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Following the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held yesterday by Professional Footballers Australia (PFA), a new three-year Strategic Framework has been agreed. The framework will seek to outline the key steps which must be taken to develop and sustain the men’s and women’s professional game in Australia.
Opportunities
The Strategic Framework underlines four opportunities which must be taken advantage of by the PFA if they are to secure the future of football in Australia.
Leadership
The need for leadership during the current crisis period is essential. The PFA has expressed its desire to re-position itself as the protagonist on which the responsibility to save the game lies. To do this, integrity and reliable leadership, from both staff and players, will be vital.
Financial Independence
This refers to the financial support and power both of the organisation and its players. To this end, developing commercial revenue and tapping into the PFA reserves are features which can be harnessed going forward.
Whole of Game Capacity
The widespread dissatisfaction with the current state of the game in Australia presents the PFA with a chance to prove itself as the only stakeholder with the ability to overcome present issues. Furthermore, the collaboration with FIFPRO (International Federation of Professional Footballers) will help them deliver on their ambitions.
Expanding the women’s game
Despite the popularity of the Matildas, the women’s game has a long way to go in its development. Encouraging commercial interest in the A-League Women, as well as promoting the AFC Women’s Asian Cup™ due to be held in Australia next March, are both addressed in the framework as ways to achieve this development.
Challenges
Despite an optimistic outlook for the next three years, the Strategic Framework has also addressed several challenges which must be considered by the PFA in their future plans.
Health of the Professional Game
Firstly, the framework acknowledges that the professional game is currently in crisis. Low fan engagement, poor broadcasting agreements and disconnected stakeholders all represent recent failings, as well as being significant reasons for the limited revenue generated.
Influence and Power
An issue in both the men’s and women’s game is that players will choose to play in foreign leagues, meaning the nation regularly loses top footballing talents. Furthermore, a lack of control over commercial rights and a collective mainstream media to give players a voice representing additional failings regarding player power.
Player Support
Supporting future talent remains a key factor to address if the game is to be developed in the next three years. As the membership becomes increasingly younger, so too does the need to maintain world class program standards in a volatile industry.
Gender equality
Although the 2023 Women’s World Cup made viewership numbers skyrocket, the chance to capitalise on the Matilda’s growing popularity was never taken, leading to a recent stagnation. Looking to March 2026, the AFC Women’s Asian Cup™ provides another chance to build up support and desire for investment in women’s football across Australia.
What will Ensure Success?
Alongside the core values of respect, intelligence, world class standards, courage and trust, there are four fundamental pillars which give the Strategic Framework solid foundations to ensure its success throughout the next three years.
Lead
The PFA will look to take a leading role to ensure the industry’s recovery. This will include providing a new vision for professional leagues, tackling the main issues which affect players, and championing the potential of the women’s game.
Equal Say
This part of the framework hopes to put players and staff within the PFA at the centre of decision and policy making. Players will be given influence and leverage over issues such as expansion, ownership, scheduling and fan engagement, as well as being provided with world class employment standards.
Support
If the professional game is to be sustained beyond the current Strategic Framework, then the support for current and future players is vital. Player ownership can be elevated through programs like the Player Development Program and the celebration of successes or experiences within the membership base.
Strength
Whether financial, ethical or organisational, the strength of the framework will also be fundamental moving forward. The PFA will look to assume a leading role within the professional football community in Australia, and ultimately establish improved fan engagement by attracting and retaining world class players and staff.
Looking to the Future
Chief Executive of the PFA, Beau Busch, highlighted the importance of the framework in a statement made as part of the publication.
“This Strategic Framework embodies the players’ ambition to secure the future of the professional game in Australia,” he said via report release.
He then outlined that, alongside the support and leadership provided by the players to achieve the ambitions of the PFA, there will also be the need to recognise and reinforce the shared values upholding the organisation.
“This Strategic Framework provides us with clarity and purpose. Our values of respect, courage, intelligence, world class and trust will guide how we embark on our mission.”
The PFA, with the backing of its membership base and staff, will hope that the Strategic Framework is the springboard which will propel the professional game across Australia into a new era.
