Football Australia has recently announced that SBS will be broadcasting the 2023 IFCPF Asia-Oceania Championships.
SBS will deliver unrivalled coverage of the Championships with live and free access via SBS On Demand, providing greater visibility of the tournament and its athletes than ever before.
The tournament kicks off on November 4 and will end on the 11th, one week later. SBS will be broadcasting over 45 hours of football during that time period across both the Men’s and Women’s IFCPF Asia-Oceania Championships, which is set to be played at the Home of the Matildas at La Trobe University in Bundoora, Melbourne.
The free coverage of these championships is a fantastic way to engage people with physical disability from many households with varying interests in the sport, and to hopefully attract and inspire the people in this community to participate in the sport.
Football Australia’s Head of Inclusion, Sarah Walsh, explained how important it was to have increased coverage of the event via free to air TV.
“SBS has a long and proud relationship with Australian football, and we are delighted they will support the 2023 IFCPF Asia-Oceania Championships,” Walsh said in a Football Australia press release.
“At the recent FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 we witnessed the transformative power of visibility and representation on the national level. Providing effortless access and increased opportunities to watch the CommBank Pararoos and the CommBank ParaMatildas, and show what is possible through football, could be lifechanging for an Australian living with cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury or symptoms of stroke.”
Pararoo captain and legend David Barber is excited at the opportunity to showcase the sport in front of a large TV audience.
“It’s incredibly humbling to know that this year, SBS will be helping to share our beautiful game with all of Australia,” he added via press release.
“This will bring fans not just of the green and gold, but the vast and rich diversity of our Asian Cup visitors as well, the chance to come together, and enjoy the pure competition that will light up Melbourne this year.”
SBS Director of Sport Ken Shipp also shared his thoughts on the broadcast agreement with Football Australia.
“SBS was established more than 40 years ago, and it is the only media organisation dedicated to inspiring a shared understanding and promoting the value of cultural diversity. One of the best ways in which SBS can bring Australians together in this way is through great sporting moments like the 2023 IFCPF Asia-Oceania Championships,” Shipp explained via press release.
The CommBank Pararoos and CommBank ParaMatildas will feature in the opening day of match action on Saturday, November 4 as the men’s team faces Thailand (5.15pm AEDT) and the women’s team opens their campaign against Japan (3.00pm AEDT).
The finals will begin on Friday, November 10 with the women’s final followed by the men’s final on Saturday, November 11, 2023.
The 2023 Women’s World Cup showed the amazing influence that the Matildas had on the next generation of footballers in Australia and the Pararoos and ParaMatildas hope to make a similar impact in their respective communities.
The clear goal with the agreement is to expand the audience for this competition and try to increase participation among aspiring Australian footballers who suffer with cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury or symptoms of stroke.
