Fox Sports exits the room but bright times ahead for Australian football’s broadcast future

Last Sunday’s A-League Grand Final between Melbourne City and Sydney FC signalled the end of Fox Sports’ 16-year broadcast partnership with Australian football.

Over the course of this time, Fox Sports have had a substantial influence in showcasing historic moments that shaped this crucial period in Australian football, whether that was through the A-League, W-League, FFA Cup or Socceroos and Matildas matches.

For many years they developed these products effectively and these moments were given the appropriate coverage. However, in recent times their commitment to the game waned due to dropping linear TV ratings and a further shift to focusing on their ‘marquee’ sports in Rugby League, Cricket and Australian Rules.

Due to these multiplying factors, the Australian Professional Leagues (APL), a relatively new body who have now separated from the FA and effectively run the A-League and W-League, flexed their muscle and were first to announce a new broadcast partner in recent weeks in the form of ViacomCBS.

The US media company own Channel 10 in Australia and under the new deal an A-League game will be broadcast on the main channel of a commercial free-to-air station for the first time, every Saturday night (with a game in the W-League to be shown on a secondary channel every week).

The rest of the A-League and W-League games will be shown on new streaming platform Paramount+, which is set to launch in August of this year.

The deal presents an opportunity for the APL to make the domestic professional leagues appeal to the mainstream and tap into the young demographics that are prevalent across Network 10 programming.

Since the announcement of the deal, which also includes ViacomCBS purchasing a minor stake in the APL, we have seen snippets of cross promotion between A-League and W-League players on Channel 10’s flagship programs.

Michael Zullo and Jenna McCormick were featured prominently on The Project speaking about the game’s future, whilst Archie Thompson, a Melbourne Victory legend, will be a contestant on Celebrity MasterChef when the show airs later this year.

Efforts such as this, in normalising the sport and its heroes across the network, will ramp up in the months to come when the contract officially begins at the start of August.

Finally, the stories of our players will be told to a wider audience, in primetime slots, whether through variety shows or the pre-match lead-in program which will air before the A-League game every Saturday.

Alongside this, the APL administration are lining up a $30 million marketing strategy to grow the audience of the game, which is set to culminate in the creation of a digital hub for Australian football fans with expected content such as written stories, video content, news clips, behind the scenes footage and more.

While details remain scarce on the digital strategy, APL MD Danny Townsend told the Australian: “The digital product will be the biggest investment the game has ever made in itself. It is not just for A-League fans, it will be for football fans, participants, coaches, managers of grassroots clubs, members of A-League clubs, digital fans of other leagues around the world and so on.”

The focus of the strategy looks to incorporate the whole football pyramid, not just the professional game, but the question of how exactly NPL content will be included in the offering lingers unanswered.

Currently state and territory federations across Australia live-stream their NPL content through their Facebook or YouTube pages, or in Football NSW, Football Queensland and Football SA’s case through NPL.TV.

Will live-streaming of these matches now be broadcast on this new digital hub funded by the APL? That remains up in the air, but a nationally unified approach for NPL content may be more commercially appealing.

Townsend told this publication earlier in the year that talks have occurred to find the best solution: “We are up for working with the NPL and helping them grow the consumption of their content. They’ve got NPL.TV which is a fantastic initiative. How we work with that, with APL and our content, is important in bringing that unity back to the game.”

What will certainly help the APL’s mission of unity in the game was the follow-up announcement that the remaining Socceroos, Matildas and FFA Cup broadcast rights have also been snaffled up by ViacomCBS, with games to be shown on Channel 10 and Paramount+.

In a boost for the profile of the competition and the local clubs all across Australia who partake in it, the FFA Cup Final will for the first time be shown on free-to-air television.

The rest of the games in the Round of 32 onwards will be shown on Paramount+, with the competition set for a new name and fresh production values on the streaming platform.

The Socceroos and Matildas will also find a regular broadcast home on Channel 10 for games outside of the World Cup, after finding themselves on various free-to-air channels in the past few years.

Australian football may have departed from Fox Sports after a long-standing partnership, but significant investment from a new broadcast partner and stakeholders should push the game towards its potential.

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Australian Championship set to revolutionise domestic football

Football Australia has unveiled the “Australian Championship,” a groundbreaking new competition that promises to reshape the nation’s football landscape.

Officially launching in October 2025, the Championship will serve as a vital bridge between state-based competitions and the Isuzu UTE A-League Men’s system, bringing clubs, players, and communities closer together.

This announcement comes on the heels of the October confirmation of the National Second Tier (NST) format, marking a significant milestone in Australian football.

The Australian Championship will provide a national platform for clubs and players to showcase their talent while fostering stronger connections with fans and communities across the country.

Competition Format and Vision

The Australian Championship will feature 16 teams competing in a dynamic format designed to balance competitive integrity and fan engagement. The competition will include:

Group Stage: Four groups of four teams playing home-and-away fixtures.

Elimination Finals: The top two teams from each group advancing to knockout rounds.

Grand Final: The inaugural champion to be crowned in December 2025.

This structure highlights Football Australia’s ambition to create an inclusive, exciting, and commercially sustainable competition that celebrates the depth of Australian football talent.

Football Australia Chief Executive Officer James Johnson spoke on the importance of this announcement for the future of Australian football.

“The Australian Championship is much more than a competition – it’s a national celebration of football; uniting proud historic clubs, emerging talent, and inter-generational community connection. It reflects the core values of Australian football: authenticity, opportunity, and ambition,” Johnson said in the press release.

“This competition will complement the A-League, NPL, and Hahn Australia Cup, providing a connected, meaningful pathway for players and fans alike. Today’s brand launch is a statement of our commitment to grow domestic football in Australia and unlock its full potential.”

Founding Clubs and National Representation

The competition will include eight Foundation Clubs with storied histories, such as APIA Leichhardt FC (NSW), Avondale FC (VIC), Marconi Stallions FC (NSW), Preston Lions FC (VIC), South Melbourne FC (VIC), Sydney Olympic FC (NSW), Sydney United 58 FC (NSW), and Wollongong Wolves FC (NSW), representing some of the strongest footballing traditions in the country.

Joining them will be eight Member Federation clubs drawn from the National Premier Leagues (NPL) across all states and territories.

This model ensures representation from every corner of the national football community, giving grassroots and state-level clubs an opportunity to compete on a larger stage.

Core Pillars of the Australian Championship

The Australian Championship aims to unite Australian football under the following key values:

Authenticity: Honouring historic clubs, iconic venues, and long-standing rivalries.

Discovery: Showcasing emerging talent and rising stars from across the nation.

Connection: Strengthening ties between grassroots, state competitions, and professional pathways.

Pride and Belonging: Celebrating football’s ability to bring players, fans, and communities together.

A New Era for Australian Football

With its launch, the Australian Championship is set to redefine the country’s domestic football ecosystem, creating new opportunities for players, clubs, and fans. Football Australia’s initiative reflects a commitment to building a thriving national competition while staying true to the rich heritage and passion that underpin Australian football.

As October 2025 approaches, anticipation will only grow for what promises to be a transformative moment in the nation’s sporting history.

FIFA set new global benchmark for Women’s Football Development

In a landmark initiative for women’s football, FIFA has unveiled an ambitious strategy aimed at reaching 60 million female players worldwide by 2027.

The comprehensive plan, supported by 13 distinct development programmes, is available to all 211 FIFA Member Associations, marking a significant step forward in the sport’s global evolution.

FIFA also took the announcement to highlight the achievements for women’s football in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Oceanic Football Confederation (OFC).

The recently enhanced FIFA Women’s Development Programme underscores the organisation’s strengthened commitment to expanding the women’s game.

The upcoming 2025 calendar promises several groundbreaking developments for women’s football.

The Philippines will host the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup, while Morocco makes history as the first African nation to stage the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The latter tournament sees significant expansion, growing from 16 to 24 teams and shifting to an annual format.

International competition reaches new heights with continental championships scheduled across multiple confederations.

The pathway to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027 commences with African qualification matches, while major regional tournaments including the UEFA Women’s EURO and OFC Women’s Nations Cup will crown new champions.

In a significant advancement for club football, all six confederations will host their respective continental club championships for the first time.

This renewed focus comes amid unprecedented growth in participation rates, particularly evident in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup co-host nations.

New Zealand has reported a remarkable 27 per cent surge in female participation since 2022, with particularly strong growth among Māori and Pasifika communities, showing a 14 per cent increase.

A strategic partnership between New Zealand Football and Māori Football Aotearoa further strengthens grassroots development.

New Zealand Football CEO Andrew Pragnell voiced the federations successful results.

“The expansion of football and futsal in Aotearoa New Zealand has been extraordinary, with the Women’s World Cup serving as a genuine catalyst for growth,” he explained via official FIFA press release.

Across the Tasman, Football Australia’s Growing Football Fund Community Grants programme continues to foster development at the grassroots level.

The latest round of funding benefits 118 recipients, complementing the 121 projects supported in March 2024.

This initiative particularly emphasises regional development, with nearly half the grants allocated to areas outside major metropolitan centres.

The grants provide essential support for women’s football development, encompassing coach education, introductory programmes, and vital equipment procurement, further cementing the sport’s foundation at the community level.

Also within the AFC, footballing powerhouse Japan has successfully hosted the continent’s first female-exclusive Pro Licence coaching course.

A collaborative effort between FIFA, AFC, and the Japan Football Association (JFA), represents a significant milestone in professional football development.

The intensive seven-day course attracted participants from fourteen nations, featuring presents such as AFC Technical Director Andy Roxburgh and Japan men’s national team coach Hajime Moriyasu.

Participants gained valuable practical experience through observations of pre-season training sessions at both J.League and Nadeshiko League clubs.

JFA Technical Director Masanaga Kageyama emphasised the programme’s strategic importance and inclusivity.

“This course is a joint AFC/JFA initiative to increase the number of top-level, professionally licensed female coaches in Asia. It aims to provide existing talents with additional advice to help them achieve greater success in their current coaching positions and secure future success,” Kageyama explained via official FIFA press release.

This initiative aligns with JFA’s renowned long-term development philosophy and a significant advancement in creating pathways for women in professional football coaching.

This newly improved strategy at the global scale will hopefully allow for more women in both professional and amateur spaces to get the opportunities they deserve in football.

It also highlight’s that AFC & OFC nations, including Australia, will have a strong place within the growth of women’s football.

Read more on the FIFA Women’s Development Program here.

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