Football Australia and TikTok combine to launch national team accounts

Staff Writer
TikTok
Image credit: Solen Feyissa via Flickr

The CommBank Matildas and Subway Socceroos have launched TikTok accounts, as part of a new collaboration between Football Australia and the social media platform.

In what will be the most exciting 12-months for Australian football in the sport’s history as both senior national teams compete in their respective FIFA World Cups, their TikTok accounts complement the teams’ existing digital and social media offerings and provide an opportunity to create fresh and unique content for fans, including exclusive behind-the-scenes access for Australia’s two most popular national sporting teams.

Peter Filopoulos, Football Australia Head of Marketing, Communications and Corporate Affairs. said via press release:

“Football is the world game and with TikTok having over a billion users globally, this new partnership is an exciting one for both the CommBank Matildas and Subway Socceroos.”

 “Our senior national football teams resonate deeply with all communities and our playing group have a strong following both at home and abroad. These TikTok accounts present the opportunity for fans to engage with both teams in a different and unique way, using the power and popularity of short-form mobile video.

“With our Subway Socceroos taking on the world at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and our CommBank Matildas to take centre stage when Australia co-hosts the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, we are using this moment in time to engage new and diverse audience, and not only entertain and educate but inspire a new generation of footballers through this presence on TikTok.”

TikTok will feature images and content of both CommBank Matildas and Subway Socceroos in out of home and above the line campaigns.

Jonathon Oake, Sport Business Development for TikTok APAC, added via press release: 

“We’re excited to partner with Football Australia to launch both the CommBank Matildas and Subway Socceroos on TikTok.”

“During a time of incredible excitement for football here in Australia, we welcome them both to our platform which reaches millions of Australian sport fanatics. I have no doubt that this partnership will deliver some of the best content we have seen on TikTok, all whilst we cheer for them from the sidelines!,” Oake concluded.

The launch of CommBank Matildas and Subway Socceroos on TikTok, follows the highly engaged Football Australia TikTok account @footballaustralia which was one of the first TikTok accounts to be established in Australia.

Follow the CommBank Matildas on TikTok @Matildas

Follow the Subway Socceroos on TikTok @Socceroos

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WSL triples viewership after move to YouTube

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Image credit: Jason Ilagan / Shutterstock.com

Viewership for Women’s Super League (WSL) matches streamed live on YouTube has more than trebled during the 2024/25 season.

This success is no coincidence. Beyond the clear rise in quality and star power across teams for the 2024/25 season, it’s also the first time in league history that non-televised games are streamed for free on YouTube.

Last season, the main issue with viewership was accessibility, where matches not picked up by domestic broadcasters were only available on the FA Player app or website, requiring users to create an account on a platform that was already unpopular.

In the 2023/24 season, the highest viewership for an online-only WSL game was Arsenal’s home fixture against Bristol City, which attracted 78,050 viewers.

However, this season has already shattered records. Over 250,000 fans tuned in on YouTube to watch Leicester face Arsenal in September, setting a new high for a WSL game not televised.

In total, the first three weeks of this season have seen a staggering 1,576,848 live views for WSL matches streamed on YouTube.

Women’s Championship matches have also benefited from the platform, with the season opener between newly promoted Newcastle and London City Lionesses setting a new record for the league, drawing 46,050 live viewers.

This spike in viewership comes at a crucial time for both the WSL and the Championship, as they are holding out for a new broadcasting rights deal set to begin after 2025. Both leagues smartly delayed signing earlier this year to avoid locking into a premature agreement.

The gamble absolutely paid off and the Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL), now in charge of the top two leagues, will be using these numbers as leverage in discussions over the next major TV rights deal which should include the BBC and Sky Sports amongst other suitors.

Streaming must remain free for A-League Women’s growth 

The A-League Women’s impressively saw a 114% increase in viewership on 10 Play, where every game is streamed for free, and 125% on Paramount+ for the 2023/24 season.

While a switch to YouTube seems unlikely given Channel 10’s monopoly over A-League football, it’s crucial to keep every game available for free on 10 Play if they want viewership to continue rising.

As the WSL and previously the NWSL have demonstrated, offering free streamed games draws in viewers of all ages and ultimately helps turn them into paying fans. The league’s primary focus should be on building an audience as quickly as possible.

Conclusion

The impressive figures from this season suggest that the demand for women’s football is only increasing.

The WSL has made a brilliant move that is sure to enhance the upcoming record-breaking broadcast rights deal, helping the league continue to improve both on and off the field.

The next step is to take it mainstream, and the Ninja A-League should look to follow the blueprint set by the WSL, which has demonstrated how to rapidly gain widespread popularity.

Football Queensland lands $800k pledge for Mackay Park upgrade

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Football Queensland has expressed its support for Nigel Dalton’s pledge of $800,000 to upgrade the carpark at Mackay Football Park, contingent on the LNP’s success in the November election.

This commitment aligns with Football Queensland’s 2024–2026 Infrastructure Strategy, released in August, and would fulfil a key element of the Mackay Football Park Master Plan, providing substantial benefits to the Whitsunday Coast football community.

The ground, based in Glenalla on the Whitsunday Coast, has a rich history and strong community ties. It has been longing for an upgrade and hosts many junior tournaments through the year.

FQ CEO Robert Cavallucci spoke about the importance of this funding and how it relates to the #EQUALISER campaign.

“As we continue advocating for infrastructure funding as part of Football Queensland’s statewide #EQUALISER initiative, investment in football facilities like Mackay Football Park plays a crucial role in supporting the ongoing growth of the game as the state’s largest participation sport,” Cavallucci said in a statement.

“The #EQUALISER initiative highlights the critical need for greater investment in football infrastructure to support the growing demands of the game, and Football Queensland remains committed to working with all levels of government to achieve strong outcomes for our football clubs and participants across the state.”

FQ General Manager of the Northern Region Craig Ramage echoed the statements of Cavallucci.

“Football Queensland welcomes the announcement by Nigel Dalton of an $800,000 funding commitment to upgrade the carpark at Mackay Football Park,” he said in a statement.

“With almost 3,400 members of the local football community visiting Mackay Football Park each week, an upgrade of the carpark will deliver significant benefits to our Whitsunday Coast participants and their families and help us improve the football experience for everyone involved in our beautiful game.”

Football Queensland’s State Election #EQUALISER Campaign continues to drive advocacy for football, community football infrastructure and facility investments from candidates in every electorate.

Clearly the campaign is having success, benefitting 16 grassroots clubs across Queensland with sizeable funding (ranging from $150,000 to $3.8m) from local councils and the state government.

This is another example of political parties pledging to invest a great amount of money to grow the state’s largest participation sport, with an international tournament around the corner.

Football Queensland continue to lead the way in the football business spectre, ensuring that the sport grows at all levels and that governments, who historically neglected football, are starting to put it into focus.

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