New Zealand Football appoint Project Director

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New Zealand Football has announced the appointment of Jane Patterson as the Project Director for the Initial Operating Phase of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.

Jane Patterson has had a 27-year career in sports administration and has experience in managing large events.

Patterson has worked on a number of major events including the World Netball Championships, IRONMAN triathlons and the UCI BMX World Championships.

During her time at IRONMAN she became the Chief Operating Officer of IRONMAN Asia Pacific. Patterson’s previous job was at UK Sport where she worked as a Major Events Consultant.

The Initial Operating Phase covers the initial set up of the tournament – during this time, a corporate entity will be established while planning around staffing structures and event budgets will be undertaken.

Patterson was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year’s Honours in 2016, in recognition for her service to sport.

“We are delighted to have someone with Jane’s experience on board to help lay the foundations for 2023, the biggest event ever hosted in New Zealand,” NZF CEO Andrew Pragnell said in a statement.

“We are determined, with co-hosts Australia, to make this tournament the best ever FIFA Women’s World Cup and it is great to see planning get underway.”

Last month Football Federation Australia appointed Jane Fernandez as the Head of Women’s World Cup 2023 Office.

Fernandez had previously helped Australian and New Zealand’s bid to host the tournament as General Manager of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Bid team.

“Jane’s appointment, following our successful announcement as co-hosts of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, is an early step of many we will be taking in pursuit of our objective. We are pleased to begin realising this as an important legacy of hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023,” FFA CEO James Johnson said of the appointment.

“Jane is an excellent ambassador for our game and we hope that her example will inspire women and girls across football in Australia and beyond.”

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be held across Australia and New Zealand in July/August 2023.

 

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Chelsea and Tottenham Arrive in Sydney as Premier League Giants Launch Australian Pre-Season Tour

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Image Credit: Chelsea FC

Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have touched down in Sydney ahead of their pre-season tour of Australia for the Sydney Super Cup. Both clubs have wasted little time settling into life in Sydney, beginning preparations for a busy week of training sessions, fan events and pre-season fixtures.

The London rivals will each face A-League opposition before meeting meeting in the marquee fixture of the tour at Accor Stadium, bringing two of England’s biggest clubs to Australian shores as they build towards the 2026-27 Premier League season.

For Chelsea, the tour represents the first opportunity for supporters to see new manager Xabi Alonso lead the Blues. Meanwhile, Spurs fans will be eager to see improvements from Roberto De Zerbi’s men following their narrow escape from relegation last season.

Chelsea will open their tour against Western Sydney Wanderers on Tuesday 28 July, while Tottenham will face Sydney FC on Wednesday 29 July, before the clubs meet in the headline fixture of the tour on Saturday 1 August.

The clash will mark the first time the London rivals have faced each other outside the UK. The tour is another sign of Australia’s growing stature as a destination for elite European clubs during the northern hemisphere off-season

With Chelsea and Tottenham among the Premier League’s biggest global brands, the fixtures are expected to attract strong crowds and give Australian football fans a rare opportunity to watch top-flight English footballers in person.

The tour will also feature the Chelsea Women’s team, which will take on the A-League Women’s All Stars in a showcase fixture on Wednesday 12 August.

Football Australia Chairman Reflects on Socceroos World Cup Campaign, Points to Reform Agenda Ahead

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Image Credit: Football Australia

Football Australia Chairman Anter Isaac has released a statement reflecting on the Socceroos’ FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign, which ended in a penalty shootout loss to Egypt in the Round of 32 on 3 July.

Isaac thanked the players, coaching staff, medical and performance teams, and volunteers who supported the campaign, saying they represented the country with professionalism, humility and pride.

He said the tournament had brought Australians together across every state, culture and generation, calling it one of the few sporting moments capable of uniting the country.

Isaac linked the campaign to Football Australia’s broader governance work, pointing to the organisation’s recently announced reform agenda and the Enduring Principles adopted last year: Better Access to Football for All, More Football, Better Football, More People Enjoying Football, and Winning Football.

He said those principles, together with the organisation’s values of Welcome, Ready, Connect, Excel and Protect, formed the basis for every decision Football Australia makes.

“World Cups do not define our leadership,” Isaac said, adding that they instead reveal progress made long before a ball is kicked.

He said Football Australia’s responsibility extended beyond preparing for the next tournament to strengthening the institution that supports every tournament that follows.

Isaac said progress in a sporting ecosystem of Australian football’s scale depends less on any single body’s authority than on the willingness of clubs, federations, leagues and government to align around shared goals.

He said the organisation would study the lessons of the campaign carefully and continue refining its approach.

“Adaptability is not changing direction with every headline,” Isaac said. “It is improving the path while remaining true to the destination.”

Isaac framed his own role in terms of long-term stewardship, saying the game should be left in a stronger position for the generations that follow than it was for those who built it.

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