In a move that signals a potential shift in how effectively the game is governed here, Football Australia (FA) has teamed up with Australia’s nine Member Federations to release the One Football Strategy.
Developed collaboratively over the past 18 months through copious in-person working group meetings, the release of the One Football Strategy is a first of its kind for Australian football that ambitions to bring together FA and the Member Federations in a unified fashion to take Australian football to new heights by 2026.
Made up of nine separate governing bodies – New South Wales, Northern NSW, the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory – the Member Federations have often earned criticism which takes aim at the inconsistencies in governance between each state.
However, with Member Federations now provided with and agreeing to an official framework to align and contribute to, the establishment of the One Football Strategy bodes well for a game that has long seen its supporters calling for a greater volume of concrete answers and less idealistic rhetoric.
Motivated by a shared purpose of bringing communities together through football, the vision of Football Australia and its Member Federations is to ultimately inspire people to live and love the game. For FA, fulfilling these aims requires adhering to the 15-year vision outlined in 2020’s XI Principles, with FA Chairman Chris Nikou reaffirming the strategy’s importance:
“The One Football Strategy 2022 – 2026 provides a framework by which we can now measure success as a game. It will require a collective focus, progressive thinking and discipline from the game’s governing bodies to bring this plan to life.
“We are committed to this Strategy and will deliver it with our Member Federations and stakeholders in an effective and impactful manner.”
Significantly, the One Football Strategy resolutely articulates how FA and the nine Member Federations will implement these changes. Moreover, by 2026, FA envisions the following for Australian football:
- We are on track to hit our target of 50/50 gender parity in participation by 2026
- A National Men’s 2nd Tier Competition is established and continues to evolve
- A Women’s Australia Cup has been established and connects the pyramid for women’s football
- The A-League Men and Women has expanded and continues to provide valuable match minutes for player development
- Our clubs are excelling in Asian competitions
- Club Licensing is raising the standards of clubs nationally
- A modern and progressive domestic transfer system is driving the domestic football economy
- An aligned and coordinated domestic match calendar connects and unites Australian football
- Our National Teams are qualifying regularly for World Cups
- A digital transformation has taken place throughout the game
- Australian football structures are more streamlined and effectively servicing the football community
- Our fans are more engaged through innovative products and world class experiences
To achieve these ambitions, FA has aligned with the state federations to establish a strategic vision divided into four pillars:
- Participants & Clubs
- Elite Teams & Pathways
- Fans
- Unifying Football
Participants & Clubs
The One Football Strategy’s First Pillar is rooted in the goal of making football the most accessible sport in Australia. Fundamentally, participation retention and subsequent development (especially among women and girls), support for clubs and volunteers, and creating accessible pathways are intrinsically key to building a sustainable football ecosystem and identity.
For FA and the Member Federations, success means expanding on the 1,421,804 participants, 2,345 clubs, 130,251 female outdoor participants, and 417,415 male outdoor participants that play the game. More specifically, FA have outlined the following as indicators of success:
- 2% YOY increase in grassroots NPS
- 400,000 additional women & girls playing football
- Improving the football product/ experience
- 60% of the change room nationally are “female-friendly”
- Programs that will promote social cohesion, improve health outcomes and celebrate diversity in Australian society
Elite Teams & Pathways
In order to successfully “reimagine the Australian football player development ecosystem”, FA and the Member Federations have prioritised enhancing methods of player identification; improving youth playing pathways and opportunities for coaches; renewing the national curriculum; embracing big data to drive player development; and refining the NPL competitions for girls and boys
In addition to producing world class teams, players, coaches, referees, and administrators, the One Football Strategy identifies the necessity of strengthening pathways and competitions. This relates directly to Principle IV of the XI Principles, which reaffirms that a connected football pyramid effectively translates grassroots development into players coming through the A-Leagues, prospective National Second Division, and beyond. To ensure this occurs, FA and the Member Federations have stated that Pillar Two’s success will look like:
- FIFA Top 5 Matildas
- FIFA Top 25 Socceroos
- Representation at all World Cups for National Teams
- A modern domestic transfer system
- An established National Second Tier competition
- Build state-wide national academies
Fans
It’s been an inarguably chaotic and disenchanting few years to be an Australian football fan, particularly in light of the obvious nullifying of momentum caused by the COVID-19 epidemic. However, to attract and grow an inspired fanbase who love and are invested in Australian football, whilst re-engaging football adherents who have opted to step away from the sport, is a task of major importance for FA and the Member Federations.
Growing passion for the Socceroos and Matildas must be an organic process, but there can be no shying away from the advantages posed by the Socceroos’ World Cup journey in Qatar and the Matildas’ home World Cup next year. The One Football Strategy shows that FA and the Member Federations are looking to “optimise the fan experience” and “establish innovative products to drive fan engagement”, with success determined by:
- An increase in the NPS score for fans
- The Socceroos and Matildas becoming Australia’s favourite national teams
- A thriving National Team Membership Program
- Minimum 70% capacity in average of all Matildas and Socceroos home matches
- 5% YOY increase in average spend per fan
Unifying Football
Fundamentally, the heart of the One Football Strategy’s message and purpose is within the goal of uniting the game to unlock the world game’s true potential within Australia. The effective implementation of the One Football Strategy can only be truly measured in 2026, however the potential afforded to the sport by FA and the Member Federations coming together to achieve greater alignment and to maximize operational efficiencies is inherently positive for football.
What success will look like for Pillar Four:
- Creating a new and fit-for-purpose governance and administration model for Australian football
- Streamlined service delivery and removed duplication across Australian football structures
- Increased revenues for the game, and lower the cost of football for participants
- Improved service levels to the grassroots
Less problems to fix, overlapping of responsibilities and detractions from the goal that unites all of the game’s stakeholders is way overdue, and no doubt would have required major self-reflection and self-analysis on the part of FA and the Member Federations. Fans will be hoping that the outcome of this intense collaboration leads to brighter days ahead.
