The FFA Cup should be renamed the Australia Cup in a nod to the game’s history

Avatar

This past Wednesday, Football Federation Australia held its seventeenth Annual General Meeting.

One of the agenda items included a proposal which would change the governing body’s name from ‘Football Federation Australia’ to ‘Football Australia’.

FFA’s members unanimously approved the proposal and will go ahead with the plan to change its company name to ‘Football Australia’.

“Today we took another significant step on this new journey we have embarked upon when the FFA Congress unanimously resolved to change the organisation’s name from Football Federation Australia to ‘Football Australia’,” FFA CEO James Johnson said on Wednesday.

“This new name – which we will transition to over the coming months – signifies a fresh and exciting start for the game under the new strategic agenda, and a return to the roots of football in Australia.”

“I firmly believe that the opportunity for further change and positive transformation in Australian football burns brighter than ever, and with the foundations that we have set in 2020 there is much to be optimistic about,” he concluded.

What exact specifics Johnson is talking about when he refers to returning to the roots of the game in Australia is unclear, however one of the organisation’s touted changes is to re-brand the FFA Cup to the Australia Cup.

It’s a move that does make sense, as the governing body moves itself and its assets away from the “FFA” moniker.

Johnson told the SMH: “We’ll be announcing in the coming weeks a revamped FFA Cup – of course, the name change will be a part of that thinking.”

“But it will go a lot broader than just the name change … we’re looking at a different format which will be more open, a format that would allow more opportunities for clubs across the country to participate in national-level competitions.”

Putting aside possible tweaks in the format of the competition, if the change in name of the tournament does go ahead, it would be the right move.

FFA Chairman Chris Nikou inspecting the original Australia Cup. Credit: FOX SPORTS

The Australia Cup was the country’s first nationwide knockout football competition, beginning in 1962.

Yugal defeated St George Budapest 8-1 at Sydney’s Wentworth Park in the competition’s inaugural final.

Four-time NSL champions Sydney Hakoah were the only team to win the Australia Cup on two occasions.

Other winners of the tournament included George Cross, APIA Leichardt and Port Melbourne Slavia.

The cup ran until 1968, with administrators deciding the competition would be abolished due to various difficulties including interstate travel problems.

Since the cup competition was a national event, it did open up the doors for the idea of a long-term National Soccer League, which was ultimately introduced nine years later in 1977.

This is just a snippet of the game’s rich history and the return of the Australia Cup in modern day would celebrate and recognise the days of old.

It would be in unique contrast to some of the previous administrators of the game who have treated Australian football’s past with the utmost contempt.

In what could be seen as an extremely symbolic event of the way Australian football has ignored its history, the Australia Cup trophy was found in a rubbish bin in 2011 by builders who were carrying out renovations at the Hakoah Club.

Embarrassing events like this may have given James Johnson and his administration team the impetus to address these failures, with resources such as the ‘XI Principles’ document, drafted earlier this year, acting as a catalyst.

One of the principles, titled “Reset the narrative of Australian football”, has the following point as a proposed measure of change.

“Create a narrative which is contemporary, genuine, and acknowledges Australian football’s multicultural origins, its rich history and diverse football community today. It must foster unity, be football-focused and capitalise on football’s global nature for the benefit of the Australian game.”

The appropriate acknowledgment of the Australia Cup as the name of the country’s knockout cup competition, will be a small step in respecting the broader history of Australian football.

Previous ArticleNext Article

Has football become too expensive for its own supporters?

Avatar

Football has never been more valuable.

Broadcast rights continue to generate billions of dollars, commercial partnerships are growing in scale, and clubs are investing heavily in new stadiums, technology and fan experiences. On the surface, the business of football appears to be in excellent health.

But there is a question worth asking.

As clubs continue searching for new revenue streams, are they making it harder for the very people who built the game to remain part of it?

The Rising Cost of Being a Football Fan

Over the past decade, supporting a football club has become increasingly expensive. Ticket prices have risen, particularly at Europe’s biggest clubs; for example, Manchester United have recently increased ticket prices for a fourth consecutive year.

The debate reached a global audience during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Ticket prices prompted widespread criticism from supporter groups, with concerns over dynamic pricing and the overall cost of attending matches.

For many travelling fans, the cost extended well beyond admission, with flights, accommodation and local transport adding to an already significant financial commitment.

Even national team kits surged in price: Nike’s replica kits for nations such as England, France and Brazil retailed for €110 ($178 AUD), while the official match versions blew out as far as €110 ($260 AUD)

FIFA defended its adoption of the United States’ dynamic pricing model, arguing low prices would lead to inflated secondary market prices, which meant less money going back into football.

Yet the backlash highlighted a growing tension between maximising commercial returns and preserving accessibility for the game’s loyal supporters. Football Supporters Europe released a statement following the release of tickets, describing the prices as a “monumental betrayal to the tradition of the World Cup.”

None of these decisions exist in isolation.

Football clubs face rising operating costs, increasing player wages and growing expectations around facilities, technology and supporter engagement.

Stadium redevelopments, academy investment and player recruitment all require significant financial investment. Finding new sources of revenue has become a commercial necessity rather than a luxury.

Football Clubs Are Becoming Entertainment Businesses

Modern football clubs are no longer operating solely as sporting organisations. Many have evolved into entertainment businesses, with stadiums hosting concerts, corporate events, hospitality experiences and conferences alongside football matches.

From Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to Real Madrid’s redeveloped Santiago Bernabéu, clubs are investing in assets designed to generate income every day of the year, not just on matchday. 

Since moving to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, matchday revenue has more than doubled over the last ten years and commercial revenue has nearly tripled during that same period. 

That strategy makes practical business sense.

The concern is whether supporters are gradually becoming customers first and fans second.

Loyalty Isn’t Transactional

Sport has always been different from other forms of entertainment because loyalty is rarely transactional. Supporters do not simply choose another club if prices rise or performances decline.

Many inherit their club through generations, travelling thousands of kilometres and investing countless hours because of an emotional connection that cannot be measured on a balance sheet.

That relationship is one of football’s greatest commercial strengths, but it also creates a responsibility.

Every pricing decision, whether it involves tickets, memberships or merchandise, should consider not only the revenue it generates today but the supporters it may exclude tomorrow.

The Cost of Watching Football

The cost of supporting a club doesn’t end once the final whistle blows. For many supporters, following football now also means paying for access to the game itself.

In Australia, broadcast rights are spread across multiple platforms, meaning fans who want to watch the A-League, Premier League, UEFA competitions and other major European leagues need several subscriptions. 

Individually, each service may represent reasonable value, but collectively they have increased the cost of following football throughout an entire season.

Broadcast Deals Come With Benefits

There is, however, another side to the argument. Broadcast rights are one of football’s biggest revenue streams, funding everything from player wages and production quality to grassroots investment and the continued growth of women’s football.

Broadcasters are paying significant sums for exclusive rights because live sport remains one of the few forms of content capable of attracting large audiences in real time. Without those investments, many competitions would struggle to maintain their current standard both on and off the pitch.

The issue, then, isn’t that football is harder to watch. It’s that following it has become increasingly fragmented. With matches spread across different platforms and services, football may be more accessible than ever, yet actually keeping up with the game can feel more challenging than ever before. 

A supporter shouldn’t need multiple subscriptions simply to follow their club, their national team and Europe’s biggest competitions. As football’s media landscape becomes more complex, convenience risks becoming another cost borne by supporters.

The recent Australia Cup match between South Melbourne and Preston Lions offered a timely reminder of what football looks like when supporters feel connected to their clubs. An official crowd of 6,673 created a vibrant atmosphere that translated brilliantly on television, or free on Football Australia’s YouTube channel.

The spectacle wasn’t driven by premium hospitality or corporate experiences. It was driven by passionate fans filling the stands and creating a classic football environment.

Finding the Balance

The challenge for football is finding the balance between commercial success and supporter accessibility.

Clubs, leagues and governing bodies don’t necessarily need to lower every ticket’s price or abandon lucrative broadcast deals. But they should continue asking whether growth is making the game easier to experience or simply more expensive to follow.

That could mean preserving affordable ticket categories, simplifying access to live broadcasts, investing in community initiatives or ensuring stadiums remain places where families and lifelong supporters feel welcome. Commercial innovation and supporter accessibility do not have to be mutually exclusive.

Football’s commercial growth is essential. Without it, clubs cannot invest in players, facilities or community programmes.

But growth should never come at the expense of accessibility.

The most successful clubs of the future will not simply be those that generate the highest revenues. They will be the ones that continue to fill their stadiums with supporters who feel they belong.

After all, football’s greatest asset has never been its broadcast deals or sponsorship agreements.

It has always been the people in the stands.

Australia football needs to fix its football governance before it can fix its referees

Avatar
Image Credits: Football Australia

The clearest image yet of Australian football’s refereeing crisis arrived on Wednesday night as Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory met in an Australia Cup semi-final at Jubilee Stadium.

A first ever Big Blue in the competition – and towards it’s pointy end – should have been a showcase event for Australian football but instead, the referees were in the spotlight. Not because of the quality of their officiating, but because of the dire situation the game finds itself in and it’s present need to resort to international imports.

Four Singaporean referees were in charge of the fixture, which Victory won 2-0. Australian referees had refused appointments because of their ongoing dispute with Football Australia. The issue is no longer theoretical. Australian referees are not simply threatening industrial action – their absence has already changed how major matches are delivered. That is a governance failure on the part of Football Australia and the Australian Professional League.

What are the referees fighting for?

Around 90 elite Australian match officials are currently without contracts. That includes referees, assistant referees, fourth officials and video match officials working across the A-Leagues and Australia’s national competitions. The previous contracts expired last month. Some officials are also waiting for outstanding payments from A-League trial matches.

 The Professional Football Referees Association (PFRA) has set three main requirements:

  • It wants the existing contracts extended until June 30, 2027, or until a new agreement or independent refereeing structure is established. 
  • It wants all outstanding match fees and expenses paid.
  • It wants a professional refereeing structure that does not place elite officials directly under the APL, which is controlled by the clubs they officiate. A new central structure is what the referees are demanding and should get.

Evgeny Vizelman, chairman of the PFRA, believes that whilst the strike action is extreme, it is necessary to protect Australian referees.

“We do not take the decision to stop officiating matches lightly,” Vizelman told Sydney Morning Herald last week.

“Our referees are being asked to perform in one of the most scrutinised roles in Australian sport without basic certainty around their employment and, in some cases, without even being paid for work already completed. That is not acceptable.”

Football Australia and the APL have been working towards a new structure, but one in which the two organisations contract separately for Australia Cup and A-League matches. The referees believe that is the wrong model.

Their concern is simple: The APL is 67.7% owned by the A-League Club Unitholders. Essentially, the clubs are appointing their own referees. That creates a perceived conflict.

If the referees sit under Football Australia as a regulator, it ensures there is no conflict of interest and that A-League clubs have no opportunity to influence the referees they may be appointed to matches.

England shows another way

England has already built the structure Australia is struggling to create. Professional Game Referees, or Pro Ref, is the central body overseeing refereeing across the Premier League, EFL, WSL Football and FA competitions. It is funded by those aforementioned competitions.

The important distinction is those competitions do not each run their own separate professional refereeing workforce. Pro Ref manages the system. It oversees appointments, development, training and performance. For the 2026-27 season, its new Professional Referee Group will service the Premier League and EFL Championship.

Officials work within the same professional structure and can be selected across competitions. That centralisation brings consistency. It also allows referees to be treated as a professional group rather than a collection of officials contracted separately by different competitions.

Whilst it is centralised, the system is not perfect. England has also recognised the need for greater independence in assessing referee performances due to Pro Ref being owned and funded by leagues and, as a result, the clubs they represent. However, as the body is also owned in part by the English FA, the governing body can oversee practices.

Pro Ref has also implemented world-leading officiating practices. Its Key Match Incidents panel includes former players and coaches, alongside representatives from the Premier League and Pro Ref, and reviews major decisions independently each week.

Pro Ref now has dedicated development groups, specialist coaching, sports science, psychology and performance analysis. 37 Pro Ref officials are currently on the FIFA International List. That does not prove centralisation alone creates better referees. But it shows what happens when refereeing receives a professional structure, long-term investment and consistent management.

Australian football needs to collaborate

This is where the Australian dispute becomes bigger than referees. Football Australia and the APL have been unable to secure agreement over who funds the referees over a long period of time, leading to this standoff; it comes at the same time as the APL’s difficulty in negotiating a new CBA with the players’ union.

 Both organisations have a role in running their respective parts of the Australian game, but again an industrial dispute has the game appearing in shambles on the eve of another domestic season.

 The most frustrating part of this dispute is that everyone needs the same thing. Football Australia and the APL need referees; there is no doubt the refs deeply value their employment at the elite level. With due respect to Wednesday’s flow-in Singaporean officials – themselves from a valued partner member through our shared position in the AFC – nobody wants to see the circumstances under which they were required on Wednesday continue any longer.

The PFRA dispute should therefore be treated as more than an industrial disagreement. It is an opportunity to fix the structure. Australia should learn from the principle behind Pro Ref and the English system. Centralise, professionalise and protect the officials who manage the game.

Most Popular Topics

Editor Picks

Send this to a friend