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Sydney FC Announces New Strategic Partnership With Trip.com for 2025/26 Season
Sydney FC have confirmed a partnership with Trip.com for the A-League 2025/26 season.
Trip.com is one of the world’s leading online travel platforms, and the collaboration will give Sydney FC members access to exclusive travel discounts and other special offers.
Matt Pound, Sydney FC General Manager of Commercial and Marketing, said the partnership directly correlates to the club’s future goals.
“We’re delighted to team up with Trip.com, a global leader in travel technology and innovation,” said Pound.
“Our members love to travel, whether following the Sky Blues around Australia or exploring new destinations, and we are thrilled to be able to offer them discounts thanks to Trip.com, making their journey simpler, smart and more rewarding.”
Kevin Lu, Territory Manager for Trip.com Oceania also commented on the partnership,
“We are thrilled to partner with Sydney FC, a club that embodies passion and global ambition, as we bring exclusive travel opportunities to their dedicated fans.
“This collaboration perfectly aligns with Trip.com’s mission to make travel seamless and exciting, and we look forward to helping Sky Blues supporters explore the world with the same energy they bring to every match.”
Trip.com’s local and international advertisements will also be featured across Sydney FC’s digital channels through the season.
With the partnership spanning the full 2025/26 campaign, the initiative reinforces Sydney FC’s commitment to enhancing the supporter experience both on and off the pitch.
By connecting fans with a trusted global travel provider, Sydney FC aims to add greater value to its membership program while strengthening its ties to the community.
The collaboration also reflects a growing trend in world football of integrating lifestyle-focused partners into club ecosystems, highlighting the broader vision to serve fans beyond match day.
With exclusive offers, integrated digital activations and shared ambitions around innovation and growth, both Sydney FC and Trip.com are confident the partnership will deliver meaningful benefits throughout the season ahead.
Launceston City FC has announced that work has commenced on a new refurbishment for the club’s change room endorsed by the Play Our Way program.
Built in 1979 by the club’s volunteers, the facility’s new refurbishment will include a new roof, a multipurpose and education room, a parent room, renovated changerooms, an undercover walkway, and a new entry.
Launceston City FC Director and lead strategic lead for the project, Jesse Woodroffe, spoke to Soccerscene about what the refurbishment will do for inclusivity and equality around the community.
“What it does is shows that we are a club for everyone, and having a standalone designated facility that’s prioritised for women and girls, sends a signal that sport is for everybody and gone are the days where there isn’t equal access,” she said.
“We are seeing a great shift nationwide in equitable access to facilities, grounds and change rooms; certainly, it wasn’t that way a few decades ago.
“Our hope is that we can offer this room and these facilities out to other groups or NGO’s as well.”
Launceston City aims to complete the refurbishment by April next year in order to have the new change rooms available for the upcoming season.
The project is supported under Stream 1 of the Australian Government’s $200 million Play Our Way Program and aims to deliver modern, inclusive changerooms for women and girls in Launceston’s community.
The Play Our Way Program
The Play Our Way Program is designed to remove barriers to participation, reduce discrimination, and promote equality in sport by funding local initiatives and ideas.
An input of experts across the sport sector and key Australian government agencies helped design the program, including an expert advisory panel of women with experience in community and professional sport.
“Play our Way is an opportunity for local governments, community organisations, the not-for-profit sector and sporting organisations to seek funding for localised solutions and improvements,” said Minister for Communications and Sport, Anika Wells, in a press release about the program.
“The program will be available for all sports, but it is anticipated soccer, as the highest participation sport in Australia, will need significant resourcing in the wake of the greatest Women’s World Cup ever.”
Collaboration as strength: When stakeholders align, the game benefits at every level. Other member federations should take note, be receptive to change, and support policies grounded in the realities of football.
The 2025 Football Queensland Convention was more than just a gathering. It was a statement about what football in Australia can achieve when clubs, businesses, and government come together in one room. It was an opportunity to elevate the debate around the sport’s future and move conversations beyond day-to-day operations. For an industry often focused on immediate results, the convention provided a rare chance to pause, reflect, and plan for long-term growth.
Over two days, coaches, administrators, industry leaders, and players came together to discuss governance, infrastructure, competition, and the use of technology in football. The most important message was clear: football will only grow if stakeholders work together and are willing to rethink the way the game operates at every level. Breakout sessions tailored to different roles ensured that practical challenges and innovative ideas were explored alongside broader strategic discussions.
The convention succeeded because it was inclusive. From grassroots volunteers to professional executives, everyone had a voice. The conversations reflected a cultural shift where decision-making and innovation are shared rather than reserved for a few at the top. It showed that the best solutions come from collective input and that elevating the debate across all levels of football is essential to meaningful progress.
Industry leaders at Football Queensland 2025 Convention collaborating on the growth and governance of Australian football
Keynote speaker Joe Schmit set a strong tone about leadership and purpose, encouraging attendees to consider the type of football culture they wanted to create. One of the most memorable contributions came from Jeehoon Kim from the Korean Football Association. He shared insights from the Made in Korea project, which aims to develop a distinctive style of Korean football. Rather than copying foreign systems, Korea is building its own identity, focusing on a technical philosophy described as fast, fearless, and focused. Players are developed through technical partnerships and youth programs that build on the nation’s strengths.
Kim’s message goes beyond player development. He highlighted that even in governance, success comes when hierarchies are removed and people are empowered to work in their areas of expertise. The project shows that a strong system is only effective if the right people are allowed to innovate and take responsibility. Whether in Korea or Queensland, football thrives when expertise is trusted to lead.
Delegates at 2025 Football Queensland Convention exploring ways to elevate Australian football through innovation and partnership
Football Queensland itself provides another example of this principle in action under CEO Rob Cavallucci. Speaking on the Soccerscene Off the Pitch Podcast, Cavallucci reflected on how the organisation addressed one of its biggest challenges: the lack of support from commercial and government sectors, which had created significant cost pressures for players and clubs.
He explained, “We made a decision five or six years ago when I became CEO and looked at how the game was structured. The main issue was the lack of support from the commercial sector and government. This meant there was always going to be significant cost pressure on the game. So we had to find a way to get on a different path.”
That path involved reforming governance and competition structures, introducing conference-based leagues, pyramid systems, and the FQ Academy pathway. The results have been impressive. Registration fees, which once made up around half of FQ’s revenue, now sit in the low twenties because the organisation has successfully maximised revenue from other sources, including corporate partnerships and government support.
Cavallucci added, “Importantly, we repositioned ourselves to appeal more to the corporate sector and government.” This approach has reduced financial pressure on players and clubs while strengthening the long-term sustainability of the game. It demonstrates how thoughtful governance, paired with strategic partnerships, can transform an entire football ecosystem.
The convention highlighted that collaboration is football’s greatest strength. When clubs, businesses, and government align around a common purpose, the benefits are felt at every level of the game. More than just addressing immediate challenges, it was an opportunity to elevate the debate, explore long-term solutions, and inspire stakeholders to work together for the wider good of the sport.
Soccerscene CEO Stace Ioannidis presenting the Editorial Creed to Football Queensland CEO Rob Cavalucci to elevate the debate in Australian football
Other member federations would benefit from observing this approach and embracing a willingness to adapt. Receptivity to new ideas promotes stronger alignment with key stakeholders and enables policymakers to develop thoughtful, practical policies that are grounded in the realities of the game. Such a commitment to collaboration and innovation is essential for fostering a sustainable and thriving football ecosystem across Australia.
If this event is any guide, the future of football in Australia will not be defined by divisions or short-term thinking. It will be defined by connection, collaboration, and a collective belief that the best way forward is together. The 2025 Football Queensland Convention has provided a blueprint for how other states and organisations can follow suit and drive the growth of the game in Australia.
