FFA CEO James Johnson: “We have many challenges in front of us as a sport”

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James Johnson FFA CEO

Is James Johnson the trailblazer Australian football needs?

When James Johnson, the FFA CEO, attended his first press conference in mid January, he could never have predicted the enormous challenges facing Australian football.

Significantly, he was the first CEO in the history of the FFA to have a football background, having played for Brisbane Strikers at youth and senior level in the NSL and also being an original member of Les Scheinflug’s Joey’s squad of 1999 which performed so gallantly to reach the final in New Zealand before succumbing in a penalty shootout to the mighty Brazil.

In late March, mainly due to the impact of COVID-19, it seemed the sky was falling when 70 per cent of the FFA staff were stood down and there was extreme uncertainty about Fox Sports’ commitment to A-League coverage.

Fortunately, Johnson demonstrated all the negotiation skills he had gained in his senior roles at the PFA, Asian Football Confederation, FIFA and the City Group since 2009 to carve out a deal which ensured A-League backing from Fox for the remainder of the current season and to the end of next season.

He also played a major part in Australia and New Zealand securing the 2023 Women’s World Cup, and was the main architect behind the selection of the Starting XI and the proposed XI Principles which are designed to lead football into a new era.

Nevertheless, despite his track record and excellent credentials, Johnson has one of the toughest jobs in Australian sport as he tries to unite the stakeholders of a game which has always exhibited major political divisions.

In this interview with Roger Sleeman, James Johnson discusses all things football in his attempt to take the game to a new high in the Australian sporting landscape.

ROGER SLEEMAN
What are your views on the current state of Australian football?

JAMES JOHNSON
We have many challenges in front of us as a sport, intensified by COVID-19. These include the economics of cost and funding, as well as many football challenges, for example rankings in senior men’s national teams and not producing the same number of players competing in leading overseas Leagues. Also, our youth teams still find it hard to qualify through Asia in both the men’s and women’s game so this has to be addressed.

However, there are many opportunities, including capitalising on the large participation rate, local and global ownership, NPL clubs with an amazing history which has to be tapped into, and great products in the Matildas and the Socceroos, with the Tokyo Olympic Games, and World Cups, including one on home-soil in 2023, to look forward to.

ROGER SLEEMAN
Which of the Proposed XI Principles deserve major priority?

JAMES JOHNSON
They are all important as they include a vision, a narrative and definition of who we are. These philosophical football principles must be reinforced by commercial well-being of the game so real change can be implemented. Critically, changes in all parts of the game are required to realise the principles.

ROGER SLEEMAN
What is the state of progress in the efforts to fund the game, in light of the competitive marketplace and sponsorship dollars foregone?

JAMES JOHNSON
The traditional methods of business are broadcast, sponsorship, gate receipts and player registration fees. Undoubtedly, post COVID-19, broadcast revenues will be more difficult to obtain and sponsorship will be more competitive. Due to globalisation of the game across the world, the sponsorship funds go to bigger Leagues and clubs. Therefore, in Australia we need to look at new ways like O.T.T. and digitalisation of the game to produce more reliable revenue streams. Capital investment from the private sector and government also has to be increased.

ROGER SLEEMAN
What is being done to engage the general media in lifting the profile of the game within print, radio, television, and internet mediums?

JAMES JOHNSON
Firstly, we have to identify how our supporters are absorbing content. Our ongoing market research shows the A-League supporter is between 16-30 years of age and they are obtaining content through digital means, for example social media, especially Facebook. We have to capitalise on this further, but we shouldn’t ignore traditional and mainstream media. The Women’s World Cup can be very important in leading the transition to gain increased coverage through this medium. Also, we have to identify people in mainstream media who support our game and can influence the decision makers. In this regard, I recently met with Karl Stefanovic from the 9 Network who played youth football in Cairns and whose father played for West Ham. We have to be smart and find such people to put their hand up and make a statement for the code.

ROGER SLEEMAN
What are your plans to revamp the youth development system?

JAMES JOHNSON
In this space, there are significant challenges and it takes a long time to develop pathways. Some of our recent failures to qualify in both men and women youth tournaments must be reversed and we have to find ways to invest in youth development and pathways. Ideally, a transfer system will be an incentive for NPL and A-League clubs to focus on player development which will guarantee rewards and reinvestment in the game.

ROGER SLEEMAN
There is a distinct absence of technical players in Australia and very few playing regularly in the world’s top Leagues. What are you proposing in this area?

JAMES JOHNSON
The improvement in technical skills is a major priority for our game and we are discussing this in detail with the Starting XI. Regarding the fewer Aussie players in top Leagues, the freedom of movement of players in Europe sees more players moving across borders which increases the talent pool and can limit the opportunities for our players.

ROGER SLEEMAN
The selection of the Starting XI with former star players like Mark Viduka, Paul Okon and Mark Bosnich was an innovative step but what about former players who have achieved at the highest level in the game and in business but are not given a chance to contribute, e.g. Jack Reilly, Peter Katholos, Danny Moulis, Alan Davidson, Craig Johnston, Gary Marocchi, Glen Sterrey, Richie Williams, Manny Spanoudakis and Dave McQuire to name a few.

JAMES JOHNSON
The Starting XI is a football advisory panel and they have provided a lot of feedback already, including on the transfer system. Certainly, we have to listen to other football people to assist the game’s growth, and we are very open to doing so.

ROGER SLEEMAN
The game’s history reflects a lack of recognition for former players to be involved.
Your comment.

JAMES JOHNSON
I reiterate, it is important to draw on the expertise of former players and perfect examples are (Zvonimir) Boban and (Marco) Van Basten with FIFA and (Dejan) Savicevic at UEFA. The appointment of Mark Bresciano and Amy Duggan to the FFA Board last year was a positive move and former Socceroo and Newcastle Jets CEO, Robbie Middleby, is making a big difference at the FFA. Sarah Walsh, a former Matilda, is also a member of our senior management and works in our participation and grassroots space.

ROGER SLEEMAN
What are your thoughts on the proposed change of season from summer to winter?

JAMES JOHNSON
Obviously, the practical reason for a change is the late finish in August, rather than May this season. We have flagged the 2020/21 competition to start in December which will allow a fair time for the clubs and players to re-set and provide the opportunity for us to assess the benefits of A-League, W-League, NPL and grassroots playing simultaneously. This will also test the alignment of more grass-root supporters to become fans of senior football.

ROGER SLEEMAN
Many people believe the decision of the Board to deny the Southern Expansion an A-League license was a major mistake, particularly in light of their commitment to put down $15 million dollars on the table immediately and their Chinese backer’s intention to purchase Shark Park from Cronulla League’s club.
Your comment.

JAMES JOHNSON
I can’t comment because I wasn’t in the country at the time, but I can say, there is a solid commitment in the XI Principles for our Professional Leagues to be expanded.

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Five Matildas figures recognised Among Australia’s Most Influential Women in Sport

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Mary Fowler walks out onto the pitch during Australia v Korea in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. Image Credit: Rachel Bach; By The White Line

Code Sports‘ annual list of the 100 most influential women in sport is one of the more closely watched measures of where women’s sport in Australia stands. This year’s edition, released against the backdrop of a record-breaking home Women’s Asian Cup, features five women connected to Australian football across its top 100. Their collective presence on the list reflects a sport that is, by almost any measure, in the midst of a significant moment.

Mary Fowler has been ranked the most influential woman in Australian sport for the second time in three years, topping Code Sports’ annual list of 100 as the CommBank Matildas compete in a home AFC Women’s Asian Cup that has already rewritten the record books for women’s football globally.

Fowler’s ranking comes after a year defined as much by what happened off the pitch as on it. An ACL injury in April 2025 threatened to rule the Manchester City forward out of a home tournament with ten months to recover. She returned to club football in February 2026, was named in Joe Montemurro’s squad, and scored on her first start for Australia in 332 days, finding the net in a 4-0 win over Iran at Stadium Australia in front of a capacity crowd.

Sarah Walsh, ranked 14th, has been central to that shift as Chief Operating Officer of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Local Organising Committee. The former Matilda has overseen a tournament that has surpassed 250,000 tickets sold, demolishing the previous all-time record of 59,910 set across the entire 2010 edition in China. The opening match in Perth drew a record-breaking attendance of  44,379 fans at a Women’s Asian Cup. It lasted one week before 60,279 people filled Stadium Australia on International Women’s Day for Australia versus Korea Republic.

Those numbers carry weight beyond the scoreboard. They make the commercial and strategic case for continued investment in the women’s game in a way that advocacy alone cannot.

From the Pitch to the Boardroom

Captain Sam Kerr enters the list at 17, having returned from a 634-day ACL absence to score two goals in the tournament, including the opener in Perth on the first night. Kerr’s presence in the squad, and her continued ability to perform at the highest level, reinforces the argument that the Matildas’ 2023 World Cup run was not a ceiling.

Heather Garriock arrives at number seven having become the first woman to lead Football Australia, appointed Interim CEO in 2025 before transitioning into a newly created Executive Director of Football and Deputy CEO role following the appointment of Martin Kugeler as permanent CEO in February 2026. The role was designed to retain her influence within the organisation. With the Socceroos preparing for a sixth consecutive FIFA World Cup and the Matildas mid-tournament, Garriock’s position at the executive level of the sport’s governing body is not incidental.

At number 84, Lydia Williams enters the list in retirement. A proud Noongar woman and recent recipient of Professional Footballers Australia’s Alex Tobin Medal, the organisation’s highest honour for career-long contribution, Williams made her international debut in 2005 and retired in 2024 with more than 100 caps, becoming the first Australian female goalkeeper to reach that milestone and only the second Indigenous footballer after Kyah Simon to do so. She now sits on the board of the Australian Sports Commission.

The transition from player to policymaker matters because the decisions shaping Australian sport in the next decade will be made in rooms that have not always had people like Williams in them. Her presence there is part of the same story the rest of this list is telling.

Seven Iranian Footballers granted asylum in Australia after Anthem Protest

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The Iranian Women's Footballer Team Anthem Protest March 8 against the Phillipines. Image Credit: Dave Hunt/AAP Image via AP

Seven members of Iran’s women’s football team have been granted humanitarian visas in Australia, after a dramatic 48-hour operation that saw players slip away from government minders, protesters block team buses, and a late-night diplomatic resolution.

The saga began on March 2, when five players declined to sing the Iranian national anthem before their opening Women’s Asian Cup match against South Korea on the Gold Coast. The moment, seen by millions, prompted furious condemnation on Iranian state television, where conservative commentator Mohammad Reza Shahbazi labelled the players “wartime traitors” and called for them to be “dealt with more harshly.”

“This is no longer some symbolic protest or demonstration,” Shahbazi said on air. “In wartime conditions, going there and refusing to sing the national anthem is the height of shamelessness and betrayal.”

Under Iran’s Islamic Republic penal code, charges of corruption or treason can carry lengthy prison sentences or the death penalty.

A delicate operation

Australian officials had been preparing for what followed for some time. After Iran’s final group match- a 2-0 loss to the Philippines on Sunday night, government representatives were waiting at Robina Stadium on the Gold Coast, signalling to the players that help was available.

A police officer had been stationed inside the team’s hotel, working to create what Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke later described as “the maximum amount of opportunities” for players to make contact. Reports from inside the hotel suggested the women were not permitted to move around unaccompanied and were escorted even to meals.

By Monday morning, it had become clear that five players wanted to stay. The women slipped away from their minders, with Australian Federal Police and Queensland Police there to escort them to a secure location. Shortly after they left, BBC journalists at the hotel witnessed Iranian officials running through the building in an apparent attempt to locate them, but they were unsuccessful.

Burke met the group at approximately 9pm Monday and signed off on their applications for temporary humanitarian visas. By 1:30am Tuesday, the paperwork was complete. In a secure location in Brisbane, the five players, Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh and Mona Hamoudi, broke into a spontaneous chant of “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie.”

Trump calls, the number grows

The story had by then attracted international attention. US President Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform to demand action, writing that Australia should “give asylum” to the women or “the US will take them.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed he spoke to Trump just before 2am Tuesday. Shortly after, Trump posted again, appearing satisfied: “Five have already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way. Some, however, feel they must go back because they are worried about the safety of their families.”

The number of asylum seekers then continued to rise. As the remaining squad was transferred from the Gold Coast to Sydney Airport ahead of their departure, Burke and Border Force officials pulled each team member aside individually, without Iranian minders present, and offered them a choice. Two more players and a member of the support staff accepted. The total reached seven.

Crowds of Iranian-Australians gathered outside the airport, breaking into cheers as word spread that more players had stayed. A bus carrying the remaining squad had earlier been briefly blocked outside their Gold Coast hotel by protesters lying in the road, some holding signs, others desperately trying to persuade the players visible through the windows to disembark.

“They can’t speak freely because they are threatened,” said Naz Safavi, who had attended all three of Iran’s matches during the tournament. “We are here to show them that we are fully supporting them.”

One changes her mind

The situation shifted again on Wednesday when Burke informed parliament that one of the seven had changed her decision after speaking with departing teammates, who had encouraged her to contact the Iranian embassy.

“As a result of that, it meant the Iranian embassy now knew the location of where everybody was,” Burke said. The remaining asylum seekers were immediately moved to a new secure location.

The six remaining visa holders have been granted temporary humanitarian protection, valid for 12 months and providing a pathway to permanent residency, similar to visas previously issued to Ukrainians, Palestinians and Afghans.

Burke stressed throughout that the process had been entirely voluntary. “We never told anyone it was time to end the meeting,” he said. “If people wanted to stay and keep talking and miss that plane, they had agency to do that as well.”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry urged the players to return home, with spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei writing on X: “To Iran’s women’s football team: don’t worry- Iran awaits you with open arms.”

The six who stayed have not responded publicly. Burke said they were grateful, and clear about one thing: “They are not political activists. They are athletes who want to be safe.”

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