FIFPRO Asia/Oceania teams up with Areto to combat online abuse

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Image credit: Summit Art Creations / Shutterstock.com

With the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup kicking off this week, Areto and FIFPRO’s partnership will look to protect competing players from online abuse and harmful behaviour.

First line of defence

All 12 teams competing in the tournament and its players will have access to Areto, a trusted platform which helps to stop hateful and absuive online content.

The platform, driven by AI to ensure thorough and efficient performance, automatically detects and removes content deemed harmful. This ensures that players and teams stay protected before abusive comments can make it onto social media. Areto is, in this way, the first line of defence for all women athletes playing in the tournament.

“Our role is to ensure players are supported not only on the pitch, but in every aspect of their professional lives, whether that is from integrity threats, online abuse, or promoting positive mental health… so they can perform at their best,” said Secretary General of FIFPRO Asia/Oceania, Shoko Tsuji.

Furthermore, as online abuse disproportionately impacts women in sport, this partnership is an absolute necessity to ensure that football remains a sport for all to enjoy and compete.

Reducing risks while exposure increases

Founded and Chief Product Officer at Areto, Jacqueline Comer, outlined the importance of having a platform like Areto in women’s sports.

“Women athletes shouldn’t have to face online abuse while preparing to perform at the highest level, but we know they do, and we know its more targeted, more personal and more violent,” Comer explained.

“Our platform actively helps reduce and remove harmful content, giving players and their support teams the insight and tools they need to focus on the game – not the abuse.”

Focusing on the game, and not the abuse, is exactly why Areto is so vital. Ultimately, as the tournament stands as a potential springboard for the women’s game in Australia, it is essential that the matches and players are at the forefront.

 

Joining the movement

Areto is one of several platforms aligning their products with the support and growth of women’s football. In December 2025, the Cook Islands Football Association (CIFA) adopted Respondology ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifiers, helping to automatically hide 6% of all comments during the first round.

Furthermore, with sporting giants like the Denver Broncos, Arsenal and Manchester United all using the AI platform to protect online spaces, the message is clear: there is no room for abuse in the beautiful game.

So, as the CommBank Matildas begin their Asian Cup campaign, this partnership is a reminder that the game is for all to enjoy and participate in – and Areto will ensure it remains so.

 

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FQ Reinstates WinterFest 2026 at the Sunshine Coast

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Image Credit: Football Queensland

Football Queensland (FQ) has confirmed WinterFest, the state’s premier junior football carnival, will return to the Sunshine Coast from 1 to 5 July 2026; this time at a new home in the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC).

Delivered in partnership with Sunshine Coast Council and Visit Sunshine Coast, the five-day carnival will span USC and Sunshine Coast Wanderers FC, hosting Under 9 to Under 11 Boys and Under 11 Girls teams from every corner of the state.

WinterFest is not simply a competition. Within FQ’s development framework, the carnival serves a dual function, to expose elite junior players to FQ Technical staff, whilst providing emerging referees with live matchday experience under the guidance of senior officials.

“The carnival plays an important role in nurturing not only our most promising young players, who can showcase their abilities in front of FQ Technical staff who continue to monitor their ongoing development, but also our cohort of emerging referees from across Queensland,” said Ryan Fett, FQ General Manager- Football, Infrastructure & Club Development.

The shift to USC is deliberate. FQ has signalled an intention to elevate the event experience year-on-year, and a university campus venue, with its infrastructure and capacity, reflects that ambition more than a traditional football ground would.

Beyond the Pitch

The tournament’s footprint, however, extends well beyond the pitch. With thousands of visiting families descending on the region across five days, WinterFest functions as a significant economic activation for the Sunshine Coast during what is otherwise a quieter winter period.

“WinterFest brings enormous energy to the region, the USC and Buderim fields will be buzzing and the talent on show outstanding,” said Sunshine Coast Resilient Economy Portfolio Councillor Terry Landsberg.

The language- “Resilient Economy”- is worth noting. Landsberg’s portfolio title alone signals how local government now frames junior sport: not as community goodwill, but as economic infrastructure.

His reference to Brisbane 2032 made that explicit. “As we move closer to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, these experiences are invaluable for aspiring athletes and equally important for boosting local tourism and supporting our businesses during the winter period.”

Whether a regional Under 11 carnival genuinely feeds an Olympic pipeline is debatable. What isn’t is that the political incentive to frame it that way, with 2032 drawing every level of government into the orbit of sport, is very real.

Football NSW partners with Deploy for Association Championships

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Image credit: Deploy Football

In an announcement released on Thursday this week, Football NSW revealed Deploy as the Naming Rights Partner of the Football NSW Association Championships.

New competition, new talents

The Association Championships, set to take place in July 2026 at Glen Willow Regional Sports Complex in Mudgee, will replace the former Association Youth League.

Although the tournament has changed name, its purpose remains consistent: giving youth players the platform to showcase their talent on the football pitch.

In a display of unity and collective ambition, 18 Associations across New South Wales will enter representative teams, each one featuring gifted grassroots players looking to prove themselves against their peers.

“The Deploy FNSW Association Championships will provide a fantastic platform for our Associations to come together and celebrate the best of elite community football,” said Football NSW CEO, John Tsatsimas via official press release.

“This tournament is all about giving young players, coaches, and referees from every corner of the state a chance to shine and develop in a competitive, supportive environment.”

The partnership between Deploy and Football NSW, therefore, is not merely about a name alteration. It is a collaboration which presents future grassroots talents with a platform and opportunity to compete.

 

Built on shared values

No partnership can succeed without both parties sharing a common goal or set of values. In this case, the alliance between Football NSW and Deploy is built on a commitment to supporting grassroots football and supplying players with quality resources and experiences to showcase their talent.

“Deploy is proud to partner with Football NSW as the Naming Rights Partner of the Association Championships. Community sport plays a vital role in bringing people together and building future leaders, both on and off the field,” explained Chief Commercial Officer at Deploy, Kurt Johnson.

“As long-time partners with Football NSW, this aligns perfectly with our strategy of creating balls designed for each age and skill level of the game, ranging from junior training balls to professional match balls perfect for the competitive environment like the Association Championships.”

Furthermore, with hundreds of participants including players, referees, coaches and supporters due to attend the tournament, the partnership’s impact will extend right across the state of New South Wales.

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