Deploy Football’s Kurt Johnson on momentum generated from the FIFA Women’s World Cup

Liam Watson
Deploy Football
Images provided by Deploy Football

With the FIFA Women’s World Cup on the horizon, Deploy Football is supporting women and girls of all ages to get involved in the game.

As Australia and New Zealand are showcased on the world stage, it’s a reminder as to the size of the sport and the growth of the women’s game.

Having partnered with leading state federations and clubs across Australia, Deploy is the go-to place to get women’s teamwear, apparel and equipment.

Predictably, there is set to be a boom in participation at least in the aftermath of the tournament, with Deploy catering for an already-popular sporting code.

Chief Commercial Officer of Deploy Sports, Kurt Johnson, spoke to Soccerscene about the need for tailor-made products and resources.

You specalise in two main areas, the first being footballs themselves – tell us about the developments you’ve made for young players coming through the ranks?

Kurt Johnson: As a brand, Deploy has always had a focus on junior development, but also safety.

We differ from larger brands in the fact that our balls sometimes are on the softer side. We do that because it does assist community footballers in general, but specifically females in terms of the touch, the control and how the ball is played both off the feet and off the head.

We are constantly developing different textures and different weights, with unique cushions of balls.

One thing we’ve been really at the global forefront of in recent years is developing junior training aids for footballs, that come in lighter versions.

We’re also working on footballs that can be used moreso in training, that are less in weight but still bounce and play like a traditional football. This specifically helps girls, because having a lighter product is better for their development and makes the game more enjoyable for them.

Thinking about the growth in participation for the girls’/women’s side, where does your teamwear fit in?

Kurt Johnson: For our teamwear, we have a complete female cut or female range for both on field and off field products.

We do this because female football is more in demand now and that they must have specific garments for their bodies. That’s imperative for clubs.

These days, most clubs won’t engage with a teamwear provider unless they provide specific female cuts.

So that’s one thing we’ve really invested in over the last few years – developing female cuts with female footballers, that’s for all shapes and sizes as well.

You currently have a product called Heading Pro, what does that involve?

Kurt Johnson: This is the product we have on the market at the moment and it was specifically designed for head education.

Our theory in developing this ball was based on rather than just banning heading of footballs, which they’ve done in other countries, we’ve taken the approach that we should educate people about the correct technique.

When you come to a real game, rather than hitting it off your nose or off the top of your head, you’re actually hitting it in the correct technique and neck position.

Concussion in sport is a major talking point – what has Deploy done to address this?

Kurt Johnson: This topic is the key reason why we developed a Heading Pro football, where it’s a 40% lighter ball which has been used in studies by the University of New South Wales. Their research has identified that the heading pro ball that it reduces head impact by up to 40%, as opposed to a standard size five football.

So that’s just one of the products that we have on the market that’s specifically designed for head impact, head education and the effects of concussion.

Additionally, we have a product called Headstrong. It’s a unique and comfortable headgear specific for football, as opposed to the Rugby type headwear that’s on the market. This is for players who are either conscious of their head protection, or those who are forced to wear protection from previous injuries.

We also support Boob Armour as a reseller of their product, where they offer protective breast inserts for female footballers that they can use, especially as there’s impact around the breast area.

Are there any trends you’ve observed in buyer behaviour from the Women’s World Cup?

Kurt Johnson: We’ve noticed a significant increase in ball sales from our clubs, purely due to participation increases.

As a football provider, we at Deploy have seen the direct result – I don’t know if you call it from the Women’s World Cup (I’d like to hope so), but there is definitely an increase in participation this season.

We’ve seen a huge increase in football sales, especially at the younger age groups, because there’s a lot more size threes sold than there normally would be.

In terms of the Women’s World Cup impact, I honestly can’t judge that just yet. I think there’ll be more flow-on effects after the tournament, rather than prior.

We might need to revisit this question in 12 months’ time to get a fully accurate picture.

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Theo Fotopoulos outlines vision for Canberra United’s future

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Image Credit: Lukas Coch

Professional football in the nation’s capital has entered a new era with Australian Sports Group (ASG) officially taking over Canberra United ahead of the 2026/27 season.

Led by Chairman Morris McAllister and CEO Theo Fotopoulos, ASG takes over a club whose future has been uncertain in recent years. Now, the focus has shifted from survival to building a sustainable future for football in Canberra.

Speaking to Soccerscene, Fotopoulos discussed why ASG chose to invest in Canberra United, the importance of preserving the club’s identity, and the roadmap for the chapter ahead for football in the nation’s capital.

Why Canberra?

The investment in Canberra United comes at an important time for the club. The beginning of the 2026/27 A-League Women season is just around the corner, and the prospect of an A-League Men side is drawing closer. Asked why ASG chose to invest in Canberra United and Canberra itself, Fotopoulos’ answer was simple.

“Canberra has stacks of football culture. It is a football city,” Fotopoulos said.

Speaking on the decision to retain the name Canberra United and not undertake a rebrand, Fotopoulos pointed to the club’s history and connection to the community.

“We retained the name, Canberra United, because of the history and the association. We felt there were more positives to retain the name,” Fotopoulos said.

The new ownership also wants supporters to play an active role in shaping the club’s future.

“The fans will be involved in making decisions,” Fotopoulos said.

Fotopoulos revealed that the club is already consulting with fans on the introduction of a nickname and is looking at developing a playing kit that is designed by the fans.

While Canberra offers a unique opportunity for professional football, Fotopoulos acknowledged the club will still compete for supporters’ attention alongside established sporting organisations such as the Canberra Raiders and ACT Brumbies.

Rather than viewing that as a disadvantage, he believes Canberra’s appetite for sport presents an opportunity to grow the club’s presence in the capital.

“It is something that allows us to accelerate the building of the brand in Canberra, Canberrans really love their sports,” Fotopoulos said.

 

The road ahead

The 2026/27 Ninja A-League season kicks off in October, and the priority for Fotopoulos and ASG at Canberra United is to ensure that Canberra is ready to compete not only next season, but sustainably for the years ahead.

“For us, it’s really stabilisation for the women’s. Build that and build the infrastructure around the women then translate that into an additional structure for the men’s program,” Fotopoulos said.

Infrastructure also forms a key pillar of ASG’s long-term vision. Fotopoulos said securing a long-term home at McKellar Park and improving football facilities across Canberra would play an important role in supporting future growth.

He believes better facilities will benefit not only Canberra United but football throughout the ACT and surrounding region.

Importantly, the takeover of the club included an option to introduce a team into the A-League Men’s competition from the 2028/29 season, which is something that ASG intends to pursue.

When speaking about the future of the proposed senior men’s side, Fotopoulos pointed to the quality within and around the organisation that will ensure its introduction.

“We’re quietly confident, the football department is very positive. There are a lot of quality people, both in Canberra and outside of Canberra, that have indicated interest in being part of the elite pathways academy structures that will be the foundation for a new A-League men’s team,” Fotopoulos said.

 

More than a football club

For Fotopoulos and ASG, this investment is about more than just owning and running a football club. The focus extends beyond results on the field to developing an integrated football structure and greater cohesion across the game.

In order to support a strong senior men’s and women’s side, Fotopoulos outlined the importance of establishing strong junior pathways for young players growing up in Canberra.

“One of the other big picture objectives is to finally get to establishing a permanent pathway,” Fotopoulos said.

Fotopoulos believes that these pathways will ensure long-term stability for Canberra United and help form the foundation of both senior playing groups for years to come.

However, it wasn’t just an investment in football in Canberra. It was a vote of confidence for women’s football in Canberra in particular.

While excitement is building around a potential expansion into the A-League Men, Fotopoulos believes that the current moment represents an even greater opportunity for the women’s game.

“If I was to look at any other time in history, this is probably the strongest time to invest in women’s football,” Fotopoulos said.

 

Mizuno’s Australian gamble: can a 120-year-old brand break through?

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Image Credit: Mizuno

When Mizuno unveiled a mural of Socceroos captain Harry Souttar on a Richmond wall during the 2026 World Cup, the company’s name did not appear on the artwork. The artist, Rory Ledge, painted Souttar as the “Minister of Defence” behind a brick wall. Channel 7 and Channel 9 turned up. The Herald Sun ran it in their Saturday edition. Mizuno’s brand director called it “mainstream awareness” without paid media.

The mural sat within a broader push by the Osaka-based company to expand in Oceania. For the fiscal year ending March 2026, Mizuno reported sales of ¥259 billion, up 7.8 per cent year-on-year, with net income of ¥18.4 billion representing 20.5 per cent growth . Operating profit rose to ¥22.6 billion. The Asia and Oceania segment is central to the company’s medium-term plan, which targets net sales of ¥290 billion by fiscal 2027.

The growth imperative

Australian football has not historically been kind to specialist boot brands. Nike, Adidas and Puma dominate retail shelves. A-Leagues collective bargaining agreements and club deals have locked in incumbents. For a brand without the marketing budgets of its competitors, the path to relevance runs through the players.

Mizuno has grown its Australian ambassador base from one athlete to around 20 across the A-Leagues in recent seasons. Melbourne City’s Tolgay Arslan, who played in the Bundesliga and Serie A before arriving in Australia, told Front Page Football: “If I discovered these boots ten years ago, I would wear these boots overseas in my career.” Western United midfielder Angus Thurgate called them “the comfiest boots I’ve ever worn”.

The mural moment

Richmond was chosen for the mural because of its location. The suburb sits at the centre of Melbourne’s sporting precinct, five minutes’ walk from the MCG and AAMI Park. It is already home to murals of AFL players. Rowena Corner Store owner Con, who agreed to host the artwork, had previously welcomed murals of Dusty Martin and an AFLW player.

“We didn’t have access to Harry because he was in the US competing,” brand director Rishi said. “We couldn’t do a photoshoot. So we had to be clever. The best ideas come from real time, aligned with what the public discourse looks like. Once we saw his Wikipedia page updated to refer to him as the Minister of Defence, we knew we could play into this.”

Ledge incorporated an existing window into the design to create a net behind Souttar’s figure. The mural appeared the morning of the Paraguay match, when Australia’s clean sheet sent them into the knockout phase.

The World Cup provided a massive backdrop. The Socceroos’ run captivated the nation: 4.84 million Australians tuned in to the Paraguay match, making it the most-watched World Cup match in SBS history at the time, with an average audience of 3.086 million . The final reached 5.26 million viewers, and cumulative tournament reach hit 18.04 million— 64 per cent of Australia’s population. SBS director of sport Ken Shipp said: “We’ve never seen engagement at this level.” Mizuno spent comparatively little and had Channel 7 and Channel 9 on site.

The commercial question

For a brand with limited marketing firepower, organic PR coverage is the prize. The question for the company’s Oceania division, still in growth mode, is whether a mural and a handful of player endorsements can convert into sustained commercial traction. Retail partnerships with Ultra Football, which has created a dedicated Mizuno space at its Melbourne store, suggest the company is thinking beyond campaigns.

Mizuno’s European expansion has taken a different path. The company signed a five-year deal to become AS Monaco’s technical equipment partner from the 2025-26 season, its first entry into Ligue 1. It already has a presence in Germany’s Bundesliga and Italy’s Serie A. In Australia, institutional partnerships are harder to secure. The approach has been slower: build through athletes, then through community, then through culture.

The Queensland government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Mizuno in March 2026 to explore the Japan-Australia Sports & Health Innovation Exchange (JASHIE), a two-year partnership focused on sport and health innovation . The agreement supports Queensland’s preparations for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The mural campaign reflected a broader trend in sporting brand marketing, where IP restrictions and athlete availability increasingly demand creative solutions. “I love what Levi’s did because they were able to lean into their brand codes and tell what I believe to be the most memorable advertising story from the World Cup,” Rishi said. “This is a different page out of fundamentally the same playbook.”

Mizuno’s boots are not cheap. The Made-in-Japan models retail well above competitors’ offerings. The brand’s pitch rests on quality and heritage, not price or volume. That is a harder sell in a country where discounting dominates and cost-of-living pressures are squeezing households.

The Souttar mural will eventually fade or be painted over. Mizuno is betting that by the time it does, enough Australian football fans will have noticed the three stripes’ quieter rival.

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