Female Football Week 2024 taking over in NSW

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Image credit: Football NSW official website

The nationwide sensation that is Female Football Week is bearing down upon Australians who are passionate and are involved within the globally appreciated sport of football.

Football Queensland had already discussed movements for the week, as Football NSW (FNSW) have followed on swiftly – sharing their activity throughout the week which begins on the May 3, running until the 12th.

Before delving into what will be on offer throughout the decorated occasion, it would be remiss to not discuss the powerhouse in which is the NSW, in regards to their footballing pedigree within the women’s game.

The A-League Women competition is globally received as one of the best female football leagues. On a domestic front, Sydney boast a diverse and talented pool of prolific female football players.

Decorated Matildas Kyah Simon and Alanna Kennedy are just some of the few in which where produced across NSW to feature for Australia as staples within our national setup.

In contrast to other Australian states, Sydney have quite the established female football plethora. The main purpose of Female Football Week for Sydney is not to necessarily build upon that by driving participation events.

From the 2023 national report, 85,710 females of all ages participated in football throughout the year – making up 48% of participants throughout 2023 within NSW.

They have four times the amount of participants boasted in Victoria, while tripling the female involvement within Queensland.

Female Football Week within Sydney will feature a festival of football at the height of events on offer with skill clinics undertaken with renowned female ambassadors.

Female football rounds alongside come and try sessions are also involved within the special week. Three workshops all featuring important and coveted female footballing brains will occur throughout the week.

The three events are all crafted to support the community of football throughout NSW. The first of three occur on the May 6, where a referee training session will be held at the Valentine Sports Park. The session will run for 90 minutes, encouraging referee involvement while potentially attracting potential participants.

A 2.5 hour coaching workshop is scheduled to run on May 8, advancing the knowledge of community coaches throughout the state while enabling coaches to network amongst each other.

Finally a Women in Sport Panel will conclude the event series. The 90-minute session is conducted to highlight the importance of women within sport primarily football.

Submission upon the FNSW website is encouraged for those who wish to participate and have involvement within the female football week.

You can find full information here.

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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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