Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) has announced a partnership with Juan Mata’s ‘Common Goal’, which aims grow and support the ‘Football For Good’ community in Australia.
This collaboration is the first of its kind between Common Goal and a players’ association, and it aims to tap into football’s potential to create real social impact—both in Australia and around the world.
The partnership was officially launched at a media event in Sydney on last Tuesday afternoon.
As part of the agreement, PFA and Common Goal will work together to:
- Raise awareness about the Football For Good community among socially conscious and community-focused Australian footballers;
- Host ‘Football For Good’ events and fundraising campaigns; and
- Use the PFA’s Footballers’ Trust to help identify and support community projects that players can contribute to.
Australian footballers will also be encouraged to get involved by pledging 1% of their football earnings to Common Goal, or by donating any amount to causes they care deeply about.
All contributions will go toward supporting PFA-accredited grassroots and community-led organisations that use football to create positive social change.
These include:
- Australian Blind Football
- Football Empowerment
- Football Futures
- Football United (Creating Chances)
- Heartbeat of Football
- John Moriarty Football
- One Ball
- PlayrProject
- Pride Cup
- Reflect Forward
- Transplant Australia Football Club
Western Sydney Wanderers midfielder Juan Mata, who co-founded Common Goal in 2017, was on hand to help launch the partnership and share the message of using football as a force for good.
“Australia has a passionate football culture and has an incredible opportunity to lead with purpose,” Mata said in a press release
“Through this partnership with the PFA, we want to inspire Australian players to see how they can use their platform to make a meaningful difference in their communities and beyond.”
Common Goal Advisory Co-Chair and founder of Football United, Anne Bunde-Birouste highlighted the importance of the partnership.
“Professional player engagement is paramount to supporting our work with children and young people for the inspiration they bring,” Bunde-Birouste said in a press release.
“This world-first collaboration will greatly enable Australian players to get involved with football for good organisations, helping us help our communities through the magic of football.”
A growing number of Australian footballers have already joined Common Goal, including Alex Brosque, Caitlin Foord, Aivi Luik, Angela Beard, Winonah Heatley, Izzy Dalton, Libby Copus-Brown, and Alex Chidiac.
Here in Australia, the initiative is backed by the PFA’s Footballers’ Trust, which gives players a way to donate a portion of their football earnings to causes they care about.
Since launching in 2019, the Trust has helped direct $500,000 in player contributions to 24 different charities, human rights groups, inclusion initiatives, and football-based programs both locally and overseas.
