Northern NSW Football kick-off Women in Football Scholarship Program

Avatar
Image via Pxhere

Northern NSW Football has launched its Women in Football Scholarship Program in an effort to help break down barriers for females in football and to increase representation of women and girls in football.

The scholarship, part of the NSW Football Legacy Program, will upskill women in non-playing roles and enhance female voices within the football community.

Female match officials, coaches and club administrators will have access to education and development opportunities as part of the program. It will include referee, coach and volunteer education and development.

The referee education and development will include all-female level three and four referee courses, all-female level three assessor courses, a regional match official development program and match official camp scholarships.

The coach education and development will include all-female skill training certificate, MiniRoos certificate and Football Australia C Licence courses. There will also be individual scholarships for FA/AFC B licence and Sport NSW Fast Track for Female Coaches workshops.

The volunteer education and development will feature a partnership between NNSWF and Online Services Australia to provide a range of web-based courses to club volunteers free of charge.

“The Women in Football Scholarship Program is a really great chance for women and girls in football to access education and opportunities,” NNSWF Legacy Plan Manager Annelise Rosnell said in a statement.

“We want to see more female coaches, match officials and club administrators in the game and this scholarship program will certainly help facilitate that outcome.

“I would definitely encourage anyone interested to look into these courses and workshops to see how they could enhance their career in football.”

The NSW Football Legacy Program is a $10 million investment from the NSW government to support female football through the construction of new community facilities, participation initiatives, high performance, leadership and development programs as well as tourism and international engagement.

For more information, click here.

Previous ArticleNext Article

SBS expands Australian Championship broadcast coverage for 2026

Avatar
Image Credits: Football Australia

The Australian Championship will enter its second season with an expanded broadcast partnership between Football Australia and SBS. The 2026 competition will feature two live SBS broadcasts in every round, marking an increase from the tournament’s debut season.

Thursday night football will form a key part of the new broadcast schedule. The opening match will see Preston Lions face Wollongong Wolves on October 15th, with the game broadcast live on SBS2 and SBS On Demand. Saturday football will also remain part of the free-to-air schedule; first up, Sutherland Sharks’ clash with South Melbourne on October 17th will be shown live on SBS and SBS On Demand.

The expanded agreement gives the competition a greater presence across SBS’s linear channels while retaining its full streaming coverage, with every match across the 2026 Australian Championship available live on SBS On Demand. The platform also provides full replays and highlights for viewers to access at their discretion.

In addition to SBS’ coverage, Football Australia will also stream the competition via YouTube.

The Australian Championship consists of a six-round group stage, finals beginning at quarter-finals from November 26, and a Grand Final scheduled currently between December 10-12.

It features 16 clubs from seven states and territories. The broadcast schedule places several historic fixtures in front of a national audience: South Melbourne will meet Sydney United 58 in a repeat of the 1999 NSL Grand Final, and Sydney Olympic and Marconi Stallions will also renew a rivalry that includes NSL Grand Final meetings in 1989 and 1990.

GIS Sydney continues to connect students with Australia’s sports industry

Avatar
Image Credits: Global Institute of Sport

Following the launch of its Sydney campus in 2025, the Global Institute of Sport (GIS) is continuing to establish itself in the nation’s sports industry. A leading provider of degrees and executive education in sport, GIS provides students the chance to study at two of Australia’s biggest sporting venues: Allianz Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Programs such as Sports Analytics and International Sports Business are delivered in collaboration with the University of Newcastle, and feature the chance for students to gain exclusive access to the sports industry.

More than 50 guest speakers have shared their experience with students studying at GIS Sydney, representing organisations like FIFA, Red Bull, Cricket Australia, and the AFL. While learning about the regional and national sports industry in the classroom, students have also had the chance to gain an international perspective through GIS’ signature Global Sports Summits, which have given Sydney students access to iconic sporting venues around the world from London to Miami.

Outside of the iconic venues students can call their classrooms, the organisation prioritises the real, industry placements needed to put theory into practice by providing each student with 140 hours of relevant work experience throughout their studies. Included in this are several sporting organisations who are keen to welcome GIS students on board, including the Professional Football Scouts Association (PFSA), Football Coaches Australia, and Basketball NSW.

GIS also has a partnership with popular network and app Yakka Sport to connect students with paid employment opportunities while they study.

Behind these advancements at the GIS Sydney campus is an Industry Advisory Board which features a host of experienced figures from the world of sport. Included in the Asia-Pacific branch is Chair James Rosengarten, GM of the Melbourne Renegades; Kevin Jang, Managing Director of CAA Stellar Korea; and Brad Lloyd, GM of the Carlton Football Club.

Since launching, GIS’ Sydney campus has ultimately combined its locations and industry connections to provide the next generation of sports professionals with the knowledge, network, and confidence to tackle the rapidly evolving sports industry.

Most Popular Topics

Editor Picks

Send this to a friend