Where does Western United sit one week away from round one?

Image courtesy of The Australian

Western United has had a big couple of weeks.

They’ve signed Melbourne Victory hero turned nemesis Besart Berisha and they’ve also named a new CEO, Chris Pehlivanis.

But is all the noise surrounding the newcomers to the A-League blocking out what’s happening behind the scenes?

According to a statistic on Twitter, Western United’s membership numbers are extremely low, lower than what most would’ve hoped.

Understandably, as a new team you need time to establish yourself in the competition before you catch up with the rest of the sides.

But for a team based in Melbourne to have such a low membership rate, it’s quite alarming.

With the accumulated total of City and Victory fans larger than that of Sydney FC and the Wanderers, you would think more fans would be getting on board.

Especially those who may not have teams in the A-League at the time of writing this.

The AFL, despite being played during the winter, offers strong competition to the Melbourne based sides. The Big Bash League is also a popular competition amongst children and family during the summertime.

The A-League has certainly made the right move in introducing new sides to the competition. There’s still a week until the season gets underway and the above membership numbers were released on the 24th of September. So the situation, hopefully, could have changed since then.

So hopefully, we can see some more members donning the green and black in their first season, especially with the massive news that Berisha has returned to the A-League.

‘Bes’ and United will be tough opposition for any side this season, given their performances in pre-season have been more than admirable.

But come round one, it’d be nice to see large flocks of fans cheering on the troops from Truganina.

 

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FA and the ABC partner to cover AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026™

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Football Australia and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) have announced a partnership ahead of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™, which will see the tournament made accessible to listeners through live audio of all CommBank Matildas games.

What will the partnership include?

Australians looking to follow the tournament throughout the coming weeks will be able to do so with ease, now that Football Australia and the ABC have entered into partnership.

Through ABC Sport and ABC Listen, audiences can follow a minimum of 17 matches. This includes every match played by the CommBank Matildas, as well as selected key fixtures during the Group Stage, and all matches in the knockout stages.

Further, Football Australia CEO, Martin Kugeler, outlined the value of making the tournament and the Matildas’ matches available to the nation.

“This is an important partnership that ensures live audio coverage of the CommBank Matildas and the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026™,” said Kugeler via official press release. 

“The CommBank Matildas are one of the most supported teams in the country, and the live audio broadcast on ABC will allow everyone in the nation to get behind the CommBank Matildas and follow their quest to become Asian champions.”

Ultimately, this partnership is not simply about broadcasting football matches; it is about making the tournament accessible and encouraging all across the nation to support the CommBank Matildas and women’s football as a whole.

 

Growing and sustaining the buzz

While many will remember the disappointment of the quarter-finals in the tournament’s last iteration in 2022, this year’s build up contains immense optimism.

“The AFC Women’s Asia Cup is a significant tournament on the global football calendar, and the ABC is pleased to bring it to audiences across Australia as the exclusive audio partner for the event,” explained ABC Managing Director, Hugh Marks.

“With Australia playing host, it’s even more important that audiences across the country can follow the tournament to cheer on our mighty Matildas.”

The partnership between Football Australia and the ABC ensures that football fever can spread to audiences across the broader ABC network, which includes eighty metro stations, 40 local stations and over 60 station on ABC Listen. 

Indeed, Australia’s role as host is a huge opportunity for players, fans and the game’s governing bodies to create a real, nationwide buzz for the women’s game. What remains important, however, is that this buzz continues to grow long after the tournament ends. 

 

FIFPRO Asia/Oceania teams up with Areto to combat online abuse

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With the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup kicking off this week, Areto and FIFPRO’s partnership will look to protect competing players from online abuse and harmful behaviour.

First line of defence

All 12 teams competing in the tournament and its players will have access to Areto, a trusted platform which helps to stop hateful and absuive online content.

The platform, driven by AI to ensure thorough and efficient performance, automatically detects and removes content deemed harmful. This ensures that players and teams stay protected before abusive comments can make it onto social media. Areto is, in this way, the first line of defence for all women athletes playing in the tournament.

“Our role is to ensure players are supported not only on the pitch, but in every aspect of their professional lives, whether that is from integrity threats, online abuse, or promoting positive mental health… so they can perform at their best,” said Secretary General of FIFPRO Asia/Oceania, Shoko Tsuji.

Furthermore, as online abuse disproportionately impacts women in sport, this partnership is an absolute necessity to ensure that football remains a sport for all to enjoy and compete.

Reducing risks while exposure increases

Founded and Chief Product Officer at Areto, Jacqueline Comer, outlined the importance of having a platform like Areto in women’s sports.

“Women athletes shouldn’t have to face online abuse while preparing to perform at the highest level, but we know they do, and we know its more targeted, more personal and more violent,” Comer explained.

“Our platform actively helps reduce and remove harmful content, giving players and their support teams the insight and tools they need to focus on the game – not the abuse.”

Focusing on the game, and not the abuse, is exactly why Areto is so vital. Ultimately, as the tournament stands as a potential springboard for the women’s game in Australia, it is essential that the matches and players are at the forefront.

 

Joining the movement

Areto is one of several platforms aligning their products with the support and growth of women’s football. In December 2025, the Cook Islands Football Association (CIFA) adopted Respondology ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifiers, helping to automatically hide 6% of all comments during the first round.

Furthermore, with sporting giants like the Denver Broncos, Arsenal and Manchester United all using the AI platform to protect online spaces, the message is clear: there is no room for abuse in the beautiful game.

So, as the CommBank Matildas begin their Asian Cup campaign, this partnership is a reminder that the game is for all to enjoy and participate in – and Areto will ensure it remains so.

 

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