Australian Football Skool Driving Grassroots Boom as Millions Tune In

Avatar
Image Credit: Australian Football Skool

Community football visibility is reaching new heights, with Australian Football Skool and Sports Group Melbourne benefiting from record-breaking digital engagement generated across competitions deliver across the country.

In 2025 alone, AFS and SGM competitions generated an impressive 5.9 million digital views across its platforms. This signals the growing appetite for grassroots football content and increased exposure for emerging pathways programs.

Flagship tournaments including the Youth Super Cup, Junior Champions League, and Shepparton Cup drove the strongest engagement. These results highlight the increasing demand for high-quality junior and community football competitions across Australia and New Zealand.

For Australian Football Skool, the growth represents more than just numbers. Increased digital reach is strengthening player exposure, expanding recruitment opportunities, and allowing families and clubs to remain closely connected to player development journeys.

The figures also reflect a broader shift within grassroots football, where digital storytelling and accessible content are playing a critical role in elevating community competitions to new audiences. By integrating tournament delivery with digital promotion, AFS and SGM are helping reshape how grassroots football is consumed and celebrated.

With momentum continuing to build, Australian Football Skool is poised to benefit further as SGM prepares to expand its digital and competition footprint in 2026. The organisation’s commitment to amplifying community football ensures grassroots players remain front and centre in the sport’s evolving ecosystem.

As participation pathways and digital visibility continue to align, initiatives like all these new tournaments are demonstrating how local development programs can thrive in an increasingly connected football landscape.

Previous ArticleNext Article

Weekly update: NPL teams reveal additional partnerships for 2026

Avatar

Read here for this week’s update on all the recent partnership agreements across the NPL leagues.

NPL VIC:

Preston Lions FC

P3 Recovery Richmond – P3 Recovery specialise in helping clients maximise their recovery through ice baths, contrast therapy, infrared saunas and more.

Boss Designer Gardens Landscaping (recommitted partner) – Led by Preston supporter, Steve Spasevski, Boss Designer Gardens offers a full range of services including decking, turf, paving, concreting and more to tailor garden designs to their customers’ vision.

McDonald’s – With local restaurants across Preston, Thomastown, Kingsbury, Heidelberg, Northland and Epping, McDonald’s will join Preston Lions’ vast support network.

Mijak Constructions – With over 20 years of experience and specialising in an extensive variety of construction services, Mijak Constructions provides help with commercial carpentry, plastering and cladding to clients.

Novi Homes – Providing high-quality services in residential and commercial property developments, the team at Novi Homes consistently strives for perfection when creating exceptional properties.

Notion – A full-service agency which specialises in naming, brand identity and language, design, digital and merchandising. For over 20 years, the team has combined strategy, creativity and a client-focused model.

IGA Thomastown – Offering a wide range of produce, deli items and everyday essentials, IGA Thomastown are an essential part of the community known for quality products and customer service.

Wattyl – Providers of high-quality paints and coatings for over a century. They help customers by offering advice and helping them select the right shade for their projects.

Heidelberg United

Chemist Warehouse – As one of Australia’s largest health and wellbeing retail stores, Chemist Warehouse has grown from a single store in the western suburbs of Melbourne to over 500 nationwide.

Trailer Trash – Run by a proudly Victorian family, Trailer Trash offer services in waste solutions. They provide reliable, timely service and help businesses, worksites and homes ensure spaces are clear and de-cluttered.

Dandenong Thunder

JVS Group – As industrial packaging solutions experts, JVS Group have built a reputation as a trusted and reliable organisation.

BIOV8 Human Optimisation – With science-based assessments and personalised medical care, BIOV8 aims to help clients, whatever their needs are, across weight loss, injury prevention, cognitive performance and more.

 

Bentleigh Greens

Intralot Australia – Founded in 1992 in Athens, Greece, Intralot has since expanded into a leading global tech company, specialising in secure transaction processing and system monitoring. Intralot will join Bentleigh Greens as a sponsor

NPL NSW:

Marconi Stallions

Buonissimo Bakery – Led by award-winning Italian bakers, Buonissimo Bakery teams up with Marconi Stallions as another institution with proud Italian heritage. Their quality patisserie baked goods can be found in Australia’s biggest supermarkets.

Boncrete (recommitted partner) – Industry leaders in concrete construction, high-quality formwork and reinforcement for large scale commercial concrete projects in NSW.

Exclusive Bus Hire (recommitted partner) – Provider of reliable and professional bus services for a range of clients, including sports teams, schools, corporate groups and private events.

Mega Metals Australia (recommitted partner) – As a leading supplier of fencing, gates and hardware, Mega Metals Australia pride themselves on balancing quality products and competitive prices.

 

SD Raiders

Madden Landscapes – A strong supporter of SD Raiders Girls Youth League Two Ladies 15, Madden Landscapes provides excellent services in lawn care and landscape maintenance.

NPL QLD:

Brisbane City FC

uTenant – An Australian-owned platform which helps businesses locate warehousing, logistics providers and indystrial property. The team provides fast, transparent and reliable solutions to its clients.

B&D Insulation (recommitted partner) – A trusted provider of high-quality insulation for residential and commercial projects. Since 1990, they have delivered an extensive range of services across Queensland and northern New South Wales.

 

NPL TAS:

Launceston City

Vergola TAS (recommitted partner) – A reliable and trusted Vergola installer, providing outstanding service and products to clients seeking all-year-round solutions to using outdoor spaces.

Progress Switchboards – Ownded by Launceston City Life Member, Austin Fagan, Progress Switchboards design and manufacture custom switchboards for commercial, industrial and infrastructure projects.

Little Rivers Brewing Co. – Based in North East Tasmania, Little Rivers Brewing Co. strives to forge community connections with every beer poured and woodfired pizza cooked.

NPL SA:

West Adelaide SC

Mega Rewards –  Australia’s latest rewards platform offering deals, exclusive experiences and prize draws to its members.

Football NSW Building Pathways for the Next Generation of Girls

Avatar
Image Credit: Shutterstock

Football NSW hosted the Girls Football Australia Talent Development Scheme (TDS) event across the 11th and 12th of February. The program brought together 72 players from the under 16s and 17s age groups for two days of training, education and match play designed to support the future of the women’s game.

The program gives talented young players, regardless of background, access to high-level coaching, structured development and clear pathways within football. Across the two days, athletes took part in technical sessions, learning workshops and a competitive showcase match where they demonstrated their progress in a game environment.

Building Pathways in the Women’s Game

Junior Matildas National Team Coach Mike Cooper worked directly with players and coaches, and shared insights on the national development pathway.

“It was great to work with the players and staff over the two-day event, and the talent on show is exciting for the future,” Cooper said. “Events like this are important not only for talent identification, but for making sure young players are given the opportunity to develop in the right environments.”

The event also placed strong emphasis on education and long-term accessibility in the sport. Twenty-six coaches attended a development workshop led by Cooper titled ‘The Importance of Skill Development’. The session explored how grassroots coaching can better support young athletes and create more inclusive opportunities for participation.

Football NSW Player Development Manager Nadine said the event demonstrated the continued growth of the girls’ game.

“We are extremely happy with how well the event went overall. The talent observed across both days in training and matches was certainly impressive,” she said. “Providing these opportunities helps ensure players continue to develop and thrive, and that the pathway remains open to the next generation of footballers.”

As participation in the women’s game continues to grow, initiatives such as the Talent Development Scheme help build a more equitable and accessible football landscape across the state.

Most Popular Topics

Editor Picks

Send this to a friend