Football Australia’s broadcast agreement with KommunityTV to stream National Youth Championships

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Image credit: Football Australia

Football Australia confirmed that a broadcast arrangement with KommunityTV has been secured to stream every game of the 2024 National Youth Championships.

The tournament is set to take place in July with the Girls competition held at the Home of The Matildas in Bundoora, VIC from the 3-8 July and the Boys competition held at WIN Stadium, JJ Kelly Park and Ian McLennan Park in Wollongong, NSW from 16-21 July.

In addition to all matches being streamed live, News Corp will provide the 2024 National Youth Championships with editorial coverage across the tournament, telling the rich stories of those involved in both the Girls and Boys’ Tournaments.

The National Youth Championships are a vital annual event for Football Australia as it embeds the federations talent identification scheme and gives talented youngsters all across the country a chance to perform against each other across six days.

Many of today’s Matildas and Socceroos trace their beginnings to this tournament and it serves as an important stepping-stone for the youth players.

Football Australia CEO James Johnson spoke on the importance of the broadcast partner for the event

“We are pleased to have renewed our partnership with KommunityTV which will showcase our best emerging young players along with coaches and officials to audiences across Australia who may not be able to attend this year’s Championships,” he said in a statement.

“The National Youth Championships are the flagship youth event in the Australian football calendar, with teams from our nine state and territory member federations competing not only to claim the coveted national title, but to impress attending national team technical staff for future honours.

“This arrangement is an exciting addition to this year’s event, and we look forward to working with the team at KommunityTV to further elevate these prestigious Championships and take the girls and boys tournaments to screens across the nation.”

News Sport Network General Manager of Product and Partnerships, Sachin Kumar, explained including every match of the 2024 National Youth Championships would take the KommunityTV coverage to the next level.

“It is exciting to renew our partnership with Football Australia to showcase the best emerging junior talent from across the country,” Kumar added via media release.

“The National Youth Championships has a track record of producing players that go on to play at the highest levels of football, right around the world.

“With the CommBank Matildas preparing to play for gold in Paris and the Subway Socceroos progressing to the next phase of World Cup qualifying, the excitement around our national teams is palpable.

“We are excited to provide football fans a chance to see the next generation shine on a big stage.”

After recent success in major tournaments for both The Matildas and Socceroos, it is good to see the next generation of potential national team prospects get elite broadcast and news coverage as well as providing fans a chance to seamlessly view the crucial youth tournament.

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Central Coast Mariners Women secure future under Holman Barnes Group

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Image Credits: Central Coast Mariners

The future of the Central Coast Mariners Women has been secured after the Holman Barnes Group (HBG) reached an agreement to become the new operator of the club’s A-League Women program. The deal ends uncertainty surrounding the team’s participation in the 2026/27 season.

The agreement between HBG, the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) and Total Soccer Growth Holdings (TSG) ensures the Mariners will remain in the Ninja A-League Women competition. It also introduces a new operating model designed to provide long-term stability.

The uncertainty emerged following TSG’s acquisition of the Central Coast Mariners’ men’s side and academy in June. The women’s program was excluded from the original takeover. TSG already owns English football side Queens Park Rangers (QPR) and MLS club Los Angeles FC. The omission placed the future of the 2025 A-League Women champions in doubt. It also prompted the APL to seek a sustainable solution ahead of the new campaign.

A new operating model

Under the new arrangement, HBG will oversee all operational aspects of the women’s team. This includes the football program, staffing and day-to-day management. TSG will retain the club licence and continue overseeing the men’s program and academy. It will also support the women’s operation through its broader football network.

The agreement represents an innovative partnership between the three organisations. It has been designed to strengthen the long-term sustainability of professional women’s football on the Central Coast. HBG’s plans extend beyond the senior team. They include a strong focus on developing participation pathways and creating greater opportunities for female footballers throughout New South Wales.

Attention turns to the new season

The transition comes at a crucial time with preparations for the 2026/27 Ninja A-League Women season underway ahead of its October 16 start. The new operators are expected to begin managing the program immediately. This remains subject to the completion of the remaining regulatory processes. The team currently has no sponsors and games are expected to be moved away from Central Coast Stadium.

The A-League had previously set a July 31 deadline for new owners to be found to secure a place in the upcoming competition. With that now achieved, HBG will be on the clock to ensure the season begins without disruption and becomes a commercial success.

For the Central Coast Mariners Women, the agreement delivers certainty after a turbulent off-season. It also allows the club to shift its attention to the 2026/27 campaign and the team’s on-field performance.

South Melbourne’s Australia Cup triumph reignites promotion and relegation debate

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Image Credit: The Greek Herald

South Melbourne FC’s dramatic 2-1 victory over Adelaide United in the Hahn Australia Cup Round of 32 has reignited debate around promotion and relegation in Australian football, with Co-President Bill Papastergiadis stating the result is further proof that ambitious National Premier Leagues clubs deserve a pathway to the top tier.

The Victorian powerhouse produced one of the competition’s biggest upsets at Lakeside Stadium, overturning an early deficit to eliminate the Isuzu UTE A-League side and secure a place in the Round of 16.

While the result was celebrated as another example of the magic of the Australia Cup, Papastergiadis believes the victory carries a much broader message about the strength that exists outside Australia’s professional league.

Speaking following the win, Papastergiadis said South Melbourne’s performance demonstrated why the Australian football landscape should move towards a connected pyramid featuring promotion and relegation.

“The result was South Melbourne FC’s revenge 22 years in the making,” Papastergiadis said.

“It also demonstrates that clubs in the National Premier Leagues have the quality, professionalism and ambition to compete with A-League opposition when given the opportunity.”

For years, South Melbourne has been one of the strongest advocates for structural reform within Australian football, consistently calling for an open pyramid that rewards sporting merit rather than maintaining a closed league system.

Papastergiadis argued that Australia Cup fixtures continue to showcase the depth of talent throughout the domestic game, with NPL clubs regularly proving they can challenge and defeat professional opponents despite operating with significantly fewer resources.

He believes these performances should not simply be viewed as isolated “cupsets”, but as evidence that Australia’s football ecosystem is ready to embrace a promotion and relegation model that provides ambitious clubs with a genuine pathway to the top flight.

The result against Adelaide United adds another significant chapter to South Melbourne’s storied history. One of Australia’s most successful clubs, South Melbourne has long maintained aspirations of returning to the national stage, backed by a passionate supporter base, strong infrastructure and a proud footballing tradition.

For Papastergiadis, victories such as Thursday night’s reinforce the argument that clubs should earn opportunities through performances on the pitch.

“The Australia Cup continues to show what’s possible when clubs from different levels of the football pyramid compete against one another,” he said.

“Our football should be built on opportunity and merit. Clubs that perform consistently and invest in their communities should have the chance to progress to the highest level.”

South Melbourne will now turn its attention to the Round of 16, where it will look to continue its impressive cup run.

Beyond the result itself, however, the victory has once again fuelled discussion around the future of Australia’s football structure and whether the growing strength of clubs outside the A-League should accelerate the push towards a fully connected national competition.

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