Football Australia pilots FIFA Coach Education Development Pathway Program

Staff Writer

17 of Australia’s emerging coaches have converged on Sydney this week to participate in a joint FIFA-Football Australia Coach Educators’ Development Pathway Program.

Football Australia was one of five Member Associations selected by FIFA to run this pilot program, focusing on the development of home-grown coach educators through 150 hours of theory and practical learning linked to the fundamental coach educator’s competence, which will ultimately lead to graduates supporting Football Australia and Member Federations to develop more qualified coaches.

Commencing in November 2021, selected participants from the Australian football community embarked on this 12-month program featuring 40 online modules, with this five-day (2–6 May) in-person element providing the opportunity to deliver sessions in the classroom and on-pitch, enabling attending FIFA and Football Australia technical experts to guide and provide feedback.

Leading this week’s in-person modules are FIFA experts Branimir Ujevic (FIFA Head of Coaching & Player Development), Dany Ryser (FIFA Technical Expert and current U17 Men’s Switzerland Head Coach) and Mohamed Basir (FIFA Senior Manager, Coaching Development Department).

Joining them are Trevor Morgan (National Technical Director & U17 Men’s Head Coach), Rae Dower (Women’s Technical Advisor & U17 Women’s Head Coach) and Ron Smith (Technical Consultant) from Football Australia.

Australia joins Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, and the United States in being selected to roll-out this pilot program, which Trevor Morgan acknowledges is a nod to the ongoing work of Football Australia and the Member Federations in the development of coaches at all levels.

“Football Australia is looking to evolve coach and player development and participating in this coach educators’ pathway program, as developed by and delivered in collaboration with FIFA, will enable Australian coaches to get a head start on this new program which will be implemented the world over in the coming years,” Morgan said.

“In this program, FIFA brings a certain methodology, a pathway to follow step by step, and the necessary tools for the current course participants – and ultimately coach education instructors – to perform as effectively as possible.

“If Australian football can develop and grow a pool of highly skilled coach educators in all parts of the country, the multiplier effect this will have on not only on coach development but in delivering elite player training, will have a huge impact on both the volume and quality of footballers we produce as a nation.”

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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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