AusPlay survey reveals most popular sport

Liam Watson

The AusPlay survey for 2019 by Sport Australia has confirmed that soccer is the most popular organised sport in Australia.

With more than 1.76 million participants, it tops the list of sporting activities in the country. To put things into perspective, soccer has almost twice the number of participants as any other football code.

AusPlay features many other physical activities people engage in, including walking, fitness & gym, swimming, running and cycling.

The AusPlay survey is in its third year and has shown that popularity of the game is in a good state:

  • 5.4 per cent of the adult (15+ of age) male population regularly participates.
  • More than 396,000 girls and women participate, one of the highest figures of any sport.
  • More than 681,000 children aged up to 14 years took part in organised out-of-school football.

Football Federation Australia (FFA) Chief Executive David Gallop AM spoke about the positive outcome the survey.

“This confirms our own data that football is by far the most popular club-based participation sport in the country,” Gallop said.

“As a sport that you can play whether you’re under five or over 75, the opportunities to participate are limitless.

“Football plays such an important role in our communities, providing significant physical and mental health benefits, helping the fight against obesity, promoting social cohesion and multicultural inclusion.

“I applaud the Federal Government for working with FFA on programs to increase participation to improve the health and wellbeing of our nation. In conjunction with Sport Australia, we recently announced a brand new national Walking Football program targeting older Australians, and have received funding for three new safe, inclusive and social football programs for females, ‘Soccer Mums’, ‘Kick On’ and ‘Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Women and Girls’.”

Previous ArticleNext Article

New board appointments and regulatory reform announced by APL

Avatar
Image credit: PxHere

The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) have announced the appointment of two new Club Directors to the APL Board, as well as updates to the salary cap structure which will be implemented from the 2025/26 season.

At an Extraordinary General Meeting held earlier today, Club Unitholders voted to appoint John Dovaston, Chairman of Melbourne Victory, and Kaz Patafta, Chairman and CEO of Brisbane Roar, as new Club Directors to the APL Board.

Both bring a strong mix of football, business, and governance experience to the table, drawn from their work both within and outside the sport.

The rest of the Board — including the Chair, a Silver Lake Director, the FA-appointed Director, and three existing Club Directors — remains unchanged, as they were not up for election.

After consulting with the Board, Club Unitholders, and club reps, the APL also announced it will introduce a new financial sustainability framework for the A-Leagues, to be rolled out over the next three seasons.

The focus will be on revamping the salary cap system.

The current setup which includes a $2.55 million soft cap and six types of salary exemptions was originally designed to support financial stability and competitive balance, but it’s no longer delivering as intended.

Starting from the 2025/26 Isuzu UTE A-League Men season, a $3.5 million hard cap trial will be introduced.

Then, in 2026/27, a $3 million hard cap (plus one marquee player) will be enforced. Clubs that exceed the cap will face financial and sporting penalties.

For the 2025/26 season, clubs will still operate under the current salary cap rules and exemptions, with the trial period acting as a transition to the new system.

A broader financial model, based on each club’s revenue will be finalised with input from clubs and the PFA and introduced in the 2027/28 season.

Executive Chair, Stephen Conroy, highlighted the need for change when it came to the current salary cap structure as well as the benefit of the new reform.

“Following consultation with clubs over the last twelve months, it was determined that the current spending structure, which has been in place since 2005, was no longer fit for purpose,” he said in a press release.

“We are doubling down on strategies that are already working; investing in our product and highlighting our fantastic homegrown talent. 

“The implementation of these reforms over the coming years is designed to ensure a competitive balance and to build long term foundations for growth that helps unlock the full revenue potential of each club.

“The APL Board firmly believe this is the model for long term success, giving clubs time to assess and plan before a new model is agreed to for season 2027/28 based on global best practice, that can deliver greater outcomes for talent development and a better football product.ˮ

The APL’s latest moves mark a significant step forward for the future of the A-Leagues, with new leadership on the Board and a clear plan to overhaul the financial structure of the competition, the league is positioning itself for long-term stability and growth. 

Beau Busch to become Chief Executive of PFA until 2029

Avatar
Busch PFA
Image Credit: PFA

Last week, Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) announced the appointment of Beau Busch as the organisation’s new Chief Executive for a four-year period until 2029.

Busch is an experienced presence within the PFA, having joined the players’ rights and wellbeing organisation back in 2013. Since then, he has held a number of key roles, including Co-Chief Executive, Head of Player Relations and Development, and Media and Communications Manager, in addition to being appointed FIFPRO Asia/Oceania President in 2024.

Across these positions, Busch has worked to protect players’ welfare and rights, as well as push standards across the A-Leagues and National Teams.

PFA Chair Francis Awaritefe explained how Busch would deliver much needed stability in his new role during times of uncertainty for the sport in Australia.

“The professional game has reached an important juncture, with critical industrial and commercial negotiations set to occur. We have no doubt that Beau’s appointment will ensure the players can navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities over the coming years,” he said in a press release.

“Beau has built incredible trust with the PFA membership, and this will be invaluable as the players seek to shape the future of the game.”

PFA Co-President Tameka Yallop described why Busch would be a valuable fit for the role.

“Beau’s passion for the game, integrity, and proven leadership make him the ideal leader to guide the PFA into its next chapter,” she said via press release.

“The players are committed to ensuring we build an industry that we can all be incredibly proud of and we know that under Beau’s leadership the PFA will continue to a be a values-led organisation.”

In a statement, Busch expressed his joy at being selected for the position by the plays.

“It is an honour to represent our members and to work alongside an outstanding Executive, Delegates and staff team,” he said.

“This generation of players have an opportunity to drive the success of the professional game and to leave a lasting legacy for the players that follow them.”

Together, Busch and the PFA will continue to protect players’ rights and uphold the standards of the game across Australia.

Most Popular Topics

Editor Picks

Send this to a friend