Chris Nikou re-elected to the ASEAN Football Federation Council

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Chris Nikou
Image via Football Australia

The Association of South East Nations (ASEAN) Football Federation (AFF) Council has re-elected Football Australia Chair Chris Nikou on a four-year term between 2022 and 2026.

The AFF consists of the national football associations of Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The AFF Elections took place during the AFF Ordinary Congress 2022 in Siem Reap, Cambodia, with Nikou in attendance.

The AFF Elections held were for the positions of President, four Vice Presidents, five Council Members and one female council member.

Nikou was successfully elected unopposed as a Council Member with a term of four (4) years and was pleased with his election and Australia’s continued efforts to enhance relationships within the ASEAN region.

“I would first like to thank my colleagues across ASEAN for entrusting me with the responsibility that a position on the AFF Council entails,” Nikou said. “Recognising that responsibility, I am committed to working hard to ensure Australia supports the development of this beautiful game across the South East Asian region,” Nikou said in a statement.

“Since being admitted to AFF as a full member in 2013, Australia has only continued to increase its football engagement with the region, and my renewed position on the AFF Council provides an opportunity to continue driving this strong relationship.

“Australia is proud to be a part of ASEAN, and with a combined population of 650 million football-loving people, this region presents tremendous opportunities to grow and develop the game for the benefit of many, and to bring nations together through a common love of football.

“Through the AFF, and together with our fellow AFF Member Associations, Football Australia will continue to work in partnership to ensure AFC’s vision of becoming the world’s leading football confederation is achieved.”

The AFF Ordinary Congress 2022 in Siem Reap closely followed Cambodia’s hosting of the ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, which was attended by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

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Football Australia backs AFC calls for FIFA governance reform

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Image Credit: Football Australia

Football Australia has backed calls from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for stronger governance, transparency and accountability at FIFA.

Pressure continues to grow on world football’s governing body following the collapse of its controversial commercial proposal.

Football Australia said it supports the AFC’s position that the events of recent weeks should be met with “clear and credible action” to strengthen FIFA’s governance systems.

The Australian governing body said its priority was a “transparent and appropriately independent process” to establish what happened, why it happened and where governance, communication and decision-making processes fell short.

The statement follows a joint call from the AFC, UEFA and CONCACAF for greater accountability within FIFA after President Gianni Infantino’s proposal to create a commercial entity involving the sale of stakes in World Cup-related assets was abandoned.

The episode has since triggered a wider governance dispute in football, amid mounting calls for structural changes within FIFA.

FIFPRO Europe president David Terrier argued that the organisation needs sweeping governance reform rather than simply a change of leadership.

Football Australia stopped short of explicitly calling for Infantino’s resignation, instead aligning itself with the AFC’s broader call for institutional reform.

“Football Australia will continue to engage actively and constructively with and through our Confederation, the AFC, and alongside our fellow Member Associations as this process progresses,” the governing body said.

The position gives the AFC further backing from one of its major member associations.

FIFA faces an increasingly public and volatile debate over how power, commercial decision-making and accountability should operate within the global game.

Infantino remains in office and is seeking re-election, with the next FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027.

APL and PFA remain without agreement as bargaining tensions continue

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Image Credit: A-Leagues

The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) and Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) remain without a new collective bargaining agreement, with negotiations continuing less than three months before the start of the 2026–27 A-Leagues season.

The APL presented the players’ union with a new one-year interim proposal on August 5, which included an increase to the A-League Women salary cap and a commitment to establish a pathway towards full-time professionalism for the women’s competition within 12 months.

The proposed agreement would provide an interim framework while the two parties continue discussions over a longer-term collective bargaining agreement.

APL chief executive Steve Rosich said the proposal reflected the league’s commitment to reaching a sustainable agreement with players following eight months of negotiations.

However, the PFA criticised the APL for publicly announcing the proposal shortly after presenting it to the union, arguing that the approach had further damaged trust between the two parties.

PFA Chief Executive Beau Busch also said players had overwhelmingly rejected the APL’s previous final offer, citing a lack of trust in the league’s ability to ensure its future.

Full-time professionalism for the A-League Women remains a key priority for the PFA, with players seeking improved conditions and greater investment in the competition.

The A-League Men and A-League Women seasons are both scheduled to begin on 16 October 2026.

With the new season approaching, both parties face pressure to resolve the dispute and establish the framework governing player conditions across the A-Leagues.

 

 

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