Cadbury extend partnership with CommBank Matildas until 2026

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Football Australia has announced that world-leading consumer brand, Cadbury, will stay on as an Official Partner of the CommBank Matildas for a further four years until 2026.

First teaming up with the CommBank Matildas back in 2020, Cadbury used its partnership to successfully launch the ‘Get In The Game’ campaign, to combat barriers and help women in sport feel seen, appreciated, and supported. The campaign worked to give professional female athletes a bigger platform, highlight role models for younger players – such as CommBank Matildas and Cadbury Ambassador Alanna Kennedy – and provide access to supplies like better-fitting uniforms.

Upon announcing the partnership extension, Football Australia Chief Executive Officer, James Johnson said in a statement:

“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with Cadbury for a further four years, where we will continue to work together to use the power of football to further inspire future generations of women and girls across Australia to be the best versions of themselves.

“Over the past two years, the popularity of the CommBank Matildas has soared, and the positive influence of the team has seen players become household names and the CommBank Matildas hold the title of Australia’s most-loved national sporting team.

“With the CommBank Matildas set to play several matches on home soil over the next ten months, and Australia to co-host the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™, we are expecting unprecedented growth in women’s football over the next decade. To meet this demand, Football Australia is working with likeminded partners such as Cadbury to promote equality in our sport, where female footballers enjoy the same level of facilities and resources as their male counterparts, and support the development of future CommBank Matildas.”

Paul Chatfield, Vice President of Marketing at Cadbury said via Football Australia:

“At Cadbury, we’re proud to support the continued growth and equality of women’s sport and thrilled to strengthen our support with the CommBank Matildas until 2026.

“With the FIFA Women’s World Cup here on home soil next year, what better time to be shining a light on our incredible female athletes and inspiring the next generation of girls in communities across Australia.”

Football Australia and Cadbury have also announced that experienced defender Alanna Kennedy will also continue as a Cadbury Ambassador.

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Football Australia Expands Mental Skills Program for Match Officials Amid Sustained Focus on Referee Retention

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Image Credit: Football NSW

Football Australia has confirmed a second national webinar for match officials, led by sports psychologist Dr Liam Slack, extending a referee development series introduced after strong engagement with an initial session on managing match-day pressure.

The upcoming session, themed “parking with purpose,” will focus on decision-making strategies designed to help referees process on-field calls and reset attention quickly across a match that can present hundreds of individual decisions. Dr Slack, who also consults with The Football Association and the AFC Referee Academy and previously spent over a decade as a performance psychologist with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited in England, brings substantial elite-level experience to a program open to officials at every level, from grassroots to professional.

The theme builds on work Dr Slack has already delivered within Australian officiating. He recently led a session with Football Australia’s National Referee Academy on the same concept, framing the ability to consciously park a decision and refocus on the next phase of play as a trainable skill rather than an innate trait, one that separates officials who reset quickly under pressure from those who don’t. He has also addressed more than 100 Football Australia elite match officials and staff on developing a stronger match-day mentality, an indication of how embedded this psychological framework has become across the officiating pathway rather than remaining a one-off intervention.

The expansion of the webinar series reflects a broader shift in how football administrators are approaching referee attrition. Rather than treating retention purely as a recruitment or pay problem, the program signals an institutional acknowledgment that the psychological demands of officiating, particularly the compounding pressure of split-second decisions under public scrutiny, are a material factor in whether officials remain in the game.

It rests alongside other measures adopted across Australian football in recent years, including visible identification programs for junior referees and structural reviews of referee departments at state federation level, all aimed at the same underlying issue: a shrinking pool of match officials relative to demand.

Football Australia has not detailed metrics for assessing the program’s impact on referee numbers, though the recurring engagement of an internationally credentialed specialist across multiple tiers of the officiating pathway suggests sustained institutional investment in the approach.

Football Victoria elevates fan enjoyment with Streets partnership

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Image credit: Prostock-studio / Shutterstock.com

Football Victoria (FV) revealed last week a new partnership with ice cream giants, Streets. The brand will become an exclusive ice cream partner for the next three years.

 

An iconic brand for joyful experiences

As a well-known and popular ice cream brand with people all around the nation, Streets will now look to support the fan experience in Victoria through its products.

It reflects FV’s commitment to delivering a family-friendly and memorable experience for spectators. Both on and off the pitch, the organisation is striving to elevate the experience for fans and families alike.

“Football Victoria is always looking for ways to elevate the experience at The Home of The Matildas, and this partnership does exactly that,” explained FV Executive Manager of Commercial and Facilities, Chris Speldewinde.

“It’s a fantastic fit for our community and we’re looking forward to what the next three years will bring.”

Furthermore, Senior Brand Manager at Streets, Ryan Katz, emphasised the brand’s role in community sport and in creating memories beyond the action on the pitch.

“Streets is proud to join Football Victoria as its exclusive ice cream partner,” Katz said.

“There’s nothing better than enjoying a great game with a classic ice cream in-hand, and we’re excited to be part of those moments across the state.”

 

Understanding community football

Community football is all about these moments. Sunny days, the family together, and a sweet treat in-hand while supporting a local team alongside friends and neighbours.

This is why a partnership between FV and Streets is particularly important.

Not for its commercial value, but for what it tells us about both parties’ understanding of what matters to fans. From young fans to experienced matchday-goers, everyone wants to find enjoyment while watching the game.

And while the 90 minutes of action is the focus, the experience of a local matchday is truly defined by interactions with fellow supporters and smaller – but no less significant – moments of happiness during the day.

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