Football NSW Expands Flexible Football Program as Women’s Participation Surges

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Football NSW has expanded its Flexible Football Initiatives program into six additional associations in 2026, building on a successful pilot year that demonstrated measurable demand for shorter, more accessible formats among women and girls across the state.

The program, a key pillar of the NSW Football Legacy Program funded by the NSW Office of Sport, offers casual tournaments and abbreviated competitions designed to fit around the schedules of women who may not be able to commit to the structure of a traditional 90-minute outdoor winter season. The participation data supports the premise: women currently make up 33 percent of summer football participants compared to 26 percent in outdoor winter football, representing a gap that points directly to the role format flexibility plays in driving female engagement with the game.

First piloted in 2025 in partnership with Football Canterbury, Northern Suburbs Football Association, Macarthur Football Association and Hills Football, the program has now expanded to ten associations across NSW following strong results in its inaugural year.

“Flexible Football gives women more ways to get involved, whether through shorter games or casual competitions,” said Football NSW Female Football Coordinator Emma Griffin. “It’s about making football easier to access and helping more women enjoy playing.”

The structural logic is straightforward. Barriers to participation in women’s sport are rarely about interest, but rather are about time, cost, geography and the degree to which formal competition structures accommodate the realities of women’s lives. A program that removes the requirement to commit to a full winter season lowers the threshold at the point where many women disengage.

The initiative sits within a broader national picture of sustained growth in women’s football, with participation numbers at record levels following the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup currently underway in Australia.

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Australian Sports Group unveiled as new owners of Canberra United

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The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) has confirmed Canberra United’s new owners will be the Australian Sports Group (ASG), securing the future of the A-League Women’s side with the potential for an A-League men’s team to be introduced for the 2028/2029 season.

The announcement marks a significant milestone for football in the nation’s capital, ending a prolonged period of uncertainty surrounding Canberra United’s future in the Ninja A-League Women competition.

Beyond ensuring the club’s ongoing participation in Australia’s premier women’s domestic league, the acquisition provides a pathway towards the potential introduction of an A-League Men club in Canberra, subject to the completion of regulatory requirements; the club could exercise an exclusive licence agreement in the Australian Capital Territory.

Australian Sports Group has outlined an ambitious vision centred on strengthening football throughout the ACT, with plans to invest in player development pathways, community engagement and football infrastructure while working alongside key stakeholders across the region.

The ownership transition has been welcomed by the Australian Professional Leagues, which described the outcome as an important step in expanding the game’s footprint in Canberra and reinforcing the long-term sustainability of professional football in the region.

Canberra United has long been regarded as one of Australia’s most successful and respected women’s clubs, playing a pivotal role in developing elite players and contributing to the growth of women’s football nationally. The confirmation of new ownership provides greater certainty for players, staff, supporters and commercial partners ahead of the upcoming season.

The licence transfer will continue through Football Australia’s regulatory processes, including the required fit and proper persons assessment, while operational planning for the 2026-27 campaign is already underway with support from both the APL and Capital Football.

 

Bentleigh Greens and Metricon Bring Local Business Community Together Through Networking Initiative

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Bentleigh Greens FC has reinforced its commitment to supporting its community beyond football, partnering with Metricon Homes to host a business networking evening designed to strengthen relationships between local businesses, sponsors and club stakeholders.

 

A unique setting for meaningful connections

Held inside one of Metricon’s display homes, the Bentleigh Greens Business Networking Night welcomed around 60 local business owners, club partners and community leaders for an evening focused on connection, collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Rather than a traditional function space, Metricon opened the doors of one of its display homes, creating a unique networking environment that highlighted how the space could be transformed into a premium venue while providing guests with a relaxed setting to build professional relationships.

The event reflects a growing trend across community football, where clubs are increasingly positioning themselves as platforms for business engagement and local economic development, alongside their role in delivering participation opportunities on the pitch.

Guests also heard from strategic futurist Marcus Barber, who delivered a presentation examining the growing influence of artificial intelligence on modern business. His insights encouraged attendees to consider how emerging technologies are reshaping industries and the importance of preparing for future change.

 

Creating value beyond sponsorship

While commercial outcomes were never the primary objective, the evening was designed to create long-term value by fostering meaningful relationships between businesses connected to the Bentleigh Greens community.

Early feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with several attendees already establishing new contacts and beginning discussions around potential collaborations.

The initiative also highlights Metricon’s broader commitment to supporting local communities beyond residential construction. By partnering with Bentleigh Greens and providing the venue, the company helped facilitate an event that encouraged learning, networking and stronger community connections.

 

Football clubs as community business hubs

For community football clubs, initiatives such as these demonstrate how partnerships can extend beyond traditional sponsorship models. By creating opportunities for local businesses to engage with one another, clubs can strengthen their commercial networks while delivering tangible value to sponsors and the wider community.

As football clubs continue to explore new ways of engaging stakeholders off the field, events like the Bentleigh Greens Business Networking Night illustrate how sport can serve as a catalyst for meaningful business relationships and long-term community growth.

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