Never assume ethnicity is the problem, without addressing the behaviour

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The association between a violent brawl at a NPL game and Football Australia rescinding the ban on ethnic club names couldn't be further from the fact, and only helps pernicious issues within Australian sporting culture remain unchallenged.

The association between a violent brawl at a National Premier League (NPL) game and Football Australia (FA) rescinding the ban on ethnic club names couldn’t be further from the fact, and only helps pernicious issues within Australian sporting culture remain unchallenged.

The fight between spectators at a NPL game between Rockdale Ilinden and Sydney United 58 on Sunday was an alarming scene of violence. The fight began after a spectator entered the pitch and interfered with a player, which sparked a full-blown melee where objects were thrown by spectators as police were called to quell the conflict.

In the aftermath, media outlets were quick to jump to the narrative that this fight was caused by the FA’s Inclusivity Principles for Club Identity (IPCI). Previously, clubs had been banned from using names that alluded to ethnic boundaries or events at the advent of the A-league and the death of the NSL, under a National Club Identity Policy which was replaced by the IPCI. While the clubs eschewed their ethnic names and insignia during the period this policy was in place, their heritage and supporter base remained untouched.

FA CEO James Johnson was forced to defend the policy on 2GB radio, while host Ray Hadley grilled him on the incident. To argue that the IPCI caused the violence in the stands on Sunday is to ignore a history of violence in Australian sport. Hadley insinuates that this is an issue for football particularly: “It’s almost unheard of in modern-day sport in Australia. Sometimes things get out of hand at Rugby league, Rugby Union, more particularly your sport”. In his favourite sport – one that hasn’t been “captivated by PC BS” as he eloquently states – spectators are regularly charged with assault after violent clashes.

As recently as this year, Parramatta fans fought in a wild brawl with their fellow supporters at a game. The issue is present within AFL, where spectators are regularly charged with assault. In 2018 two men were hospitalised after being attacked after an AFL game in Melbourne by men wearing their club colours proudly. In 2010 at the WACA, during a one-day test between Australia and Pakistan, a spectator stormed the field and tackled a Pakistani player and was charged with assault and trespass. The problem is a cultural one, that is endemic across all of Australian sport. To blame a spectator brawl on something as irrelevant as the name and identity of the clubs involved, while turning a blind eye to a history of violence that is perpetuated throughout Australian sport is to condemn ourselves to never fixing the cause, and never finding the solution.

Even within the world of football, violence between fans is not a new phenomenon despite what critics of the IPCI would like you to think. It happened before the ban on ethnic club names, it happened during the ban, and it will continue to happen after the introduction of the IPCI. Why is this so? Because a small minority of Australian spectators, regardless of their sport, are prone to violence. Violence between spectators is a worldwide phenomenon and amazingly remains so in countries whose populations are homogeneous and don’t divide themselves into clubs based on their heritage or ethnicity.

NSW Police Detective Superintendent Anthony Cooke stated that it was only a small minority of the spectators involved in the melee on Sunday, and there was no clear link to ethnic violence. With the former National Club Identity Policy in place, football was less inclusive of those of other cultures and ethnicity with little benefit to the game, while suppressing communities that embraced the world game.

This isn’t an effort to downplay the violence in the stands on Sunday however, but to blame the IPCI however is to ignore the fact that it is a minority of people who engage in anti-social behaviour. It remains easier to direct fault towards the policy of the FA instead of addresses the cultural issues that remain within football and Australian sport as a whole.

“We need to focus on the behaviours, not the ethnicity,” Football Australia CEO James Johnson stated in his interview with Ray Hadley. To remove spectator violence from all levels of the football pyramid we need to do exactly this. To villainize supporters based on the heritage of the club they support is to ignore the very real dangers of anti-social behaviour that is fuelled by far greater animosity than the name on their badge. Hadley misses this point completely and seems to believe that if the club had an anglicised name then the spectator violence wouldn’t have happened. The evidence shows this is objectively wrong and drawing upon ethnicity is simply a media narrative that damages the clubs and the footballing industry. The NSL, the precursor to the A-league, was severely damaged and ultimately destroyed by this stigma being attached by the media.

Hadley’s and 2GB’s attempted stitch-up of Johnson shouldn’t be a surprise. Football within Australia has a long history of being some sort of ethnic boogeyman, with the foreigner with the strange name being an easy target for disdain. While the FA has made it clear it won’t tolerate this behaviour from spectators, fans, and club officials, it has also taken the correct stance in deciding to punish those who do wrong based solely on their behaviour. While the violent brawl was unacceptable, and those involved need to be heavily punished with bans as Football Australia intends to do, it isn’t unheard of in the slightest. These issues aren’t self-contained to football or ethnically named clubs and are instead just a symptom of a much larger illness in Australian sporting culture. To ignore the violence that continues to permeate with Australian sport in an attempt to blame a policy that
contributes little to the issue will only allow the real causes to remain unchecked.

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FIFA World Cup 26 Mascots and Why FIFA’s New Videogame Title Is Interesting

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Image Credit: FIFA

Did you know FIFA has already unveiled the mascots for next year’s FIFA World Cup? Did you also know the mascots will be FIFA’s first “interactive mascots” in an upcoming video game?

Being held all over North America (Canada, the United States, and Mexico), the colourful trio, Maple the Moose, Clutch the Bald Eagle and Zayu the Jaguar, will represent their respective countries in the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The FIFA World Cup mascot is made to represent the country hosting the game, its culture, and, more importantly, the game of football and FIFA. As ambassadors of the game, carefully designed by a team of experts, they are made to advertise football as a family-friendly event, especially to appeal to children in hopes of future generations of supporters.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated in the press release announcing the mascots that they are central to the incredible, entertaining atmosphere the governing body has created for the game-changing tournament.

“They’ll win hearts and spark celebrations across North America and around the world,” he said.

“I can already picture them on children’s shirts, high-fiving football legends, and—in another first for this tournament—staring in video games played by millions worldwide.”

The video game he’s referring to is FIFA Heroes, FIFA’s new licensed title where professional football teams and the tournament itself are replaced by playable mascots. From the first-ever mascot, Willie, to the current group, you can put in teams of five.

To put it into context, the videogame, which will release on all current-gen consoles and mobile next year in line with the beginning of the World Cup, is made for younger fans. The videogame will also be a part of the growing portfolio of FIFAe, the electronic entertainment and esports department of the governing body, to make digital football accessible to more fans, the press release said.

FIFA are also partnering with Roblox to deliver in-game events and host quests illustrating each mascot’s role with themed rewards, which, in my humble opinion, may not be a good idea after the news surrounding how the site polices itself this year.

All up, the news is very clear: FIFA are going to try to engage young fans through video games next year. But this isn’t a new move for them.

FIFA’s Videogame Franchise

FIFA has always had a significant presence in the videogame market. The body’s nearly annual titles are shipped by the millions across the world, and that’s only counting the physical copies. If the current year’s game is a little too pricey, you can go over to the bargain bin and grab a previous year for the same console.

Furthermore, since the 1980s, World Cups have had video game tie-ins to celebrate the tournament and the qualifying teams when they play in them. It’s only since 2018, when the 2018 World Cup was relegated to a DLC (downloadable content) for FIFA 18.

The audience of these games are primarily young males and people who enjoy the sport recreationally; not to mention, the games usually score well with critics.

So, why make a grand new title when the franchise you’ve created works? There’s not a clear enough answer, but we can guess creating a brand-new game with three times the stadiums and locations and then having national football team branding as well as being able to know which ones will qualify for next year in time is more expensive to make than using already owned mascots in a 5v5 football game.

So, What Makes The News Interesting?

By FIFA creating a game, developed and published by ENVER in partnership with Solace, for an event that changes location every event, it is more cost-effective and could be successful in bringing more attention to the FIFA World Cup by breaking the mould of tie-ins like done with the Olympics.

Also, FIFA Heroes having mascots from every World Cup appear allows the governing body and the creators of the game the ability to use the title for the next event and maybe continue the game into a larger franchise through FIFAe.

Though, to be fair, since it will be on mobile and it’s aimed at children, FIFA would definitely have to watch and safeguard against predatory advertisements and incentives in regard to microtransactions, which could negatively affect their children player base. Think more stealing their parents’ credit card than loot boxes.

Why Building Relationships Is Football’s Most Underrated Strategy

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Football leaders and volunteers connecting at a community event, representing strong relationships in football governance.

Football’s biggest wins don’t always happen on the pitch. Often, they start in boardrooms, local clubs, and community halls, anywhere people come together to connect, collaborate, and build trust. From volunteers running grassroots clubs to commercial partners investing in growth, and even friends of business creating unexpected opportunities, relationships are the invisible engine driving football forward. Yet, for many governing bodies, this is still one of the most undervalued strategies in the game.

Why Relationship Building Matters

At every level of football, relationships form the foundation of success. Governance isn’t just about structures, rules, and strategies. It’s about people. It’s about conversations, shared ambitions, and mutual respect that hold the game together.

Volunteers are the heart of Australian football. They paint lines, run barbecues, manage teams, and keep the lights on. Their connection to local associations and federations often determines how valued and supported they feel. When governing bodies invest time in listening, not just speaking, they strengthen the grassroots fabric that supports the entire pyramid.

Commercial partners represent a different but equally important relationship. Their involvement is not purely transactional. When partnerships are built on shared values, community engagement, inclusion, and youth development, they transcend sponsorship. They become collaborations that deliver both commercial return and social impact.

Governing bodies that treat partners as part of the football family, not just as funders, build credibility and long-term loyalty.

And then there are the friends of business, the connectors, advocates, and community leaders who bridge the gap between sport, government, and industry. Their relationships often bring football opportunities that no policy or marketing campaign could achieve alone.

Yet one of the most underutilise relationships in football governance remains formal MoUs with the private sector. These agreements, when structured thoughtfully, can unlock resources, expertise, and new initiatives that benefit both parties.

Too often, governing bodies have relied on ad-hoc partnerships or sponsorships, overlooking the strategic potential that comes from a long-term, mutually committed relationship with private enterprises.

How Relationships Drive Positive Change and Disruption

Change in football doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s driven by trust, collaboration, and a willingness to embrace new ideas. When federations, clubs, and partners trust one another, they share ideas more freely, challenge old ways of doing things, and create the conditions for positive disruption that moves the game forward.

Strong relationships allow organisations to test new initiatives knowing that success – and even failure – will be met with shared accountability, not blame. They foster an environment where learning never stops, where innovation is encouraged, and where unexpected opportunities can emerge from left field.

Opportunities often come from surprising sources, whether it’s a new partnership idea, a regional tournament concept, or a media collaboration that suddenly gathers momentum. These moments only happen when relationships are open, inclusive, and built on respect.

For governing bodies, leading with openness and transparency builds confidence. When stakeholders understand not just what decisions are made, but why, they are more likely to engage constructively and contribute to meaningful change.

Collaboration between federations and clubs, between football and local councils, or between governing bodies and media partners, has already shown how powerful shared vision can be in driving both positive change and disruption across the game.

The Football Convention in Queensland demonstrates what is possible when state governing bodies work hand in hand with industry, media, and grassroots representatives. It’s not just an event; it’s a living example of relationship-driven progress.

As former Football Australia Chairman Chris Nikou once said, Football succeeds when everyone, from the grassroots to the elite, feels they’re part of the same story.

That simple truth captures the essence of why relationships matter. When people feel included, when they feel ownership of the game’s direction, they contribute with passion and purpose.

The Social Impact of Connection

Strong relationships create stronger communities. Football is the most accessible sport in Australia and arguably the most diverse. It brings together people of all ages, cultures, and abilities.

But that inclusivity only thrives when governing bodies prioritise relationships over bureaucracy.

When federations build genuine partnerships with community organisations, local government, and schools, football becomes a vehicle for social cohesion. It’s not just about growing participation, it’s about fostering connection, belonging, and identity.

The social impact can be enormous. A single community football club, supported by its governing body and local partners, can influence public health, youth engagement, and regional economies.

Football, at its best, reflects the character of the community it serves.

Being Part of the Journey

Perhaps the most powerful part of relationship building in football governance is the shared sense of journey. Everyone, from the volunteer running the canteen to the CEO in the boardroom, contributes to a common story.

When people feel that their effort matters and that they’re part of something with direction and meaning, remarkable things happen.

Being part of the journey also means showing up, not just when it’s convenient, but when it’s hard. It’s about having conversations that are honest and sometimes uncomfortable, yet always constructive. It’s about acknowledging the people who make the game what it is, even when the spotlight isn’t on them.

Relationships built on respect and shared experience endure well beyond individual roles. They create a culture of trust that allows football to keep evolving, one season, one club, one collaboration at a time.

Achieving Positive Outcomes

When governing bodies invest in relationships, they invest in the future of the game. Strong relationships lead to more resilient clubs, more confident administrators, and more connected communities.

They make football not just something we watch, but something we belong to.

The positive outcomes are seen not only in participation numbers or financial reports but in the energy around the game, the excitement at junior matches, the pride in local tournaments, and the willingness of partners to reinvest because they believe in the vision.

In the end, football governance isn’t about control, it’s about connection.

The most successful federations understand that leadership in football is relational, not hierarchical. They lead through inclusion, collaboration, and shared belief.

When that happens, when volunteers, partners, and governing bodies move together, football doesn’t just grow. It transforms.

Football thrives not because of systems, but because of people, their connections, their shared journey, and the unexpected opportunities that emerge when we collaborate.

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