Why government backing is crucial for Australia’s game

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Image credit: Football West

In early May, Football Australia released “Securing our Football Future” policy proposals estimated at $2.8 billion, which aim to strengthen Australia’s largest team sport by building strong partnerships with all levels of government — including the federal government — over the next five to ten years.

Football is played in every community across the country, with 1.91 million participants and 3,300 active clubs nationwide.

However, according to Football Australia, the sport is facing a growing infrastructure shortfall – putting pressure on its ability to keep up with demand, support grassroots involvement, strengthen communities, and help take Australian football from local fields to the global stage.

It’s also been a challenging time for Football Australia overall.

Earlier this month, CEO James Johnson surprised many by stepping down after more than five years in the role — just a day before the A-League finals kicked off and with the Socceroos still yet to secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup.

And do go along with that, it was announced that Football Australia would record a record loss of $8.5 million, more than double the biggest loss it had ever recorded before — which was during the COVID-impacted 2020 financial year.

So, Football Australia needs government support more than ever, and these are the reasons why.

Grassroots:

One of the key reasons Football Australia requires government investment is to support the growing demand for grassroots soccer.

The grassroots level is arguably the most critical area in need of funding, as it forms the foundation of the sport’s continued growth and success.

Soccer remains the most widely played sport in Australia, with more than 3,300 clubs spread across the country.

But right now, many local clubs are struggling to keep up with a surge in participation, especially among women and girls.

According to Football Australia’s 2024 Participation Report, the number of people playing the sport rose by 197,052 compared to the previous year—an 11% jump, taking total participation from 1,715,441 to 1,912,493.

This growth is putting added strain on already aging facilities, while challenges like rapid urban development, a shortage of open green spaces, and more frequent extreme weather events are making it even harder for clubs to meet demand.

As of December 2024, Football Australia identified 2,103 venues nationwide that need upgrades, with 7,848 proposed projects aimed at bringing them up to basic standards. These venues include more than 5,100 football pitches used by local communities.

To address these challenges, Football Australia has identified the need for more change rooms — including facilities that cater to all genders — to better support growing participation and ensure that women and girls have equal access.

There’s also a need to expand lighting infrastructure so fields can be used in the evenings, giving clubs more flexibility with scheduling and increasing available play time.

In addition, investing in better drainage systems is crucial to maintaining field quality in the face of extreme weather.

It’s also important to note that around two-thirds of these facilities are shared with other sports — such as AFL, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Touch Football, Athletics, and Cricket — meaning the benefits of this investment would be felt well beyond just football.

The total estimated cost to make these improvements is $2.4 billion, so meeting these needs will require significant investment from all levels of government.

So, Government investment in Football Australia and grassroots football is essential to ensure the sport can keep pace with growing demand, support inclusive participation, and deliver lasting benefits to communities across Australia.

Future Tournaments and Leagues:

Another reason Football Australia will need government support is to organise and run future tournaments and leagues.

In 2026, Australia will host the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, with matches taking place in Sydney, Perth, and the Gold Coast.

This event offers a great chance to build on the momentum and success of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, which was proudly co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

However, hosting these tournaments comes at a significant cost and will need continued investment.

The government would also need to contribute financially to support the bidding process for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup and help fund necessary infrastructure upgrades, such as stadium renovations and transport improvements.

Their involvement is crucial to meet international standards and ensure the successful delivery of the event.

The government can also help by committing to funding women’s football programs and improving facilities after the tournament.

This would take advantage of the expected rise in interest and help ensure more women and girls have the opportunity to play.

We’ve already seen this approach — after the Matildas’ success at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese introduced the “Play Our Way” grants to support women and girls in sports.

However, some, including former Socceroo Craig Foster, believe the federal government’s $200 million commitment to upgrading sports facilities for women and girls falls well short — both in terms of the amount and the lack of focus on football.

Now, there’s a strong case for investment in the upcoming tournament.

According to Football Australia, the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup is expected to draw over half a million fans and generate between $215 million and $260 million in total economic impact.

To add to the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, there is also the introduction of the Australian Championship, the national second tier.

Starting in October 2025, the Australian Championship will adopt a 16-team format, beginning with group stage matches and finishing with a knockout-style Finals Series.

To get this new league up and running, government support will be essential — something Football Australia has already recognised.

They’ve called on the Federal, New South Wales, and Victorian Governments to provide $1 million in seed funding for the Australian Championship (National Second Tier), helping to create a strong and sustainable pathway between grassroots football and the professional level.

Government support for Football Australia is vital to successfully host major tournaments and launch new leagues, helping grow the women’s game and strengthen football pathways nationwide.

Social Impact

A final reason why Football Australia requires investment from the government is because soccer, like many other sports, can provide a positive social impact on local communities

Local clubs have historically played a foundational role in the development of football in Australia, serving as cultural and community hubs for migrant communities since the post-war era.

Clubs like South Melbourne, Sydney Olympic, and Marconi Stallions have deep roots and loyal fan bases and have produced some of the country’s finest players.

Ethnic clubs bring with them not only sporting potential but also social capital.

They foster community cohesion, cultural pride, and intergenerational involvement in football.

By supporting these clubs, Football Australia and the government can tap into diverse communities that have long shown passion and commitment to the sport.

This inclusivity also aligns with national efforts to embrace multiculturalism and could help broaden football’s appeal at a time when the sport is competing with AFL, rugby, and cricket for attention and resources.

Finally, integrating and supporting these clubs within a more unified national structure—through funding, visibility, and competition opportunities—could re-energise football at the semi-professional level.

Many ethnic clubs already possess established youth academies, experienced coaching staff, and dedicated facilities.

With proper investment and modern governance standards, they can be transformed into vital links in the talent development pipeline, creating more pathways to professional football while honouring the sport’s multicultural legacy in Australia.

In short, government support isn’t just about growing a sport — it’s about investing in communities, future generations, and national pride.

With the right backing, football in Australia can continue to thrive from the grassroots to the global stage.

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Mizuno’s Australian gamble: can a 120-year-old brand break through?

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Image Credit: Mizuno

When Mizuno unveiled a mural of Socceroos captain Harry Souttar on a Richmond wall during the 2026 World Cup, the company’s name did not appear on the artwork. The artist, Rory Ledge, painted Souttar as the “Minister of Defence” behind a brick wall. Channel 7 and Channel 9 turned up. The Herald Sun ran it in their Saturday edition. Mizuno’s brand director called it “mainstream awareness” without paid media.

The mural sat within a broader push by the Osaka-based company to expand in Oceania. For the fiscal year ending March 2026, Mizuno reported sales of ¥259 billion, up 7.8 per cent year-on-year, with net income of ¥18.4 billion representing 20.5 per cent growth . Operating profit rose to ¥22.6 billion. The Asia and Oceania segment is central to the company’s medium-term plan, which targets net sales of ¥290 billion by fiscal 2027.

The growth imperative

Australian football has not historically been kind to specialist boot brands. Nike, Adidas and Puma dominate retail shelves. A-Leagues collective bargaining agreements and club deals have locked in incumbents. For a brand without the marketing budgets of its competitors, the path to relevance runs through the players.

Mizuno has grown its Australian ambassador base from one athlete to around 20 across the A-Leagues in recent seasons. Melbourne City’s Tolgay Arslan, who played in the Bundesliga and Serie A before arriving in Australia, told Front Page Football: “If I discovered these boots ten years ago, I would wear these boots overseas in my career.” Western United midfielder Angus Thurgate called them “the comfiest boots I’ve ever worn”.

The mural moment

Richmond was chosen for the mural because of its location. The suburb sits at the centre of Melbourne’s sporting precinct, five minutes’ walk from the MCG and AAMI Park. It is already home to murals of AFL players. Rowena Corner Store owner Con, who agreed to host the artwork, had previously welcomed murals of Dusty Martin and an AFLW player.

“We didn’t have access to Harry because he was in the US competing,” brand director Rishi said. “We couldn’t do a photoshoot. So we had to be clever. The best ideas come from real time, aligned with what the public discourse looks like. Once we saw his Wikipedia page updated to refer to him as the Minister of Defence, we knew we could play into this.”

Ledge incorporated an existing window into the design to create a net behind Souttar’s figure. The mural appeared the morning of the Paraguay match, when Australia’s clean sheet sent them into the knockout phase.

The World Cup provided a massive backdrop. The Socceroos’ run captivated the nation: 4.84 million Australians tuned in to the Paraguay match, making it the most-watched World Cup match in SBS history at the time, with an average audience of 3.086 million . The final reached 5.26 million viewers, and cumulative tournament reach hit 18.04 million— 64 per cent of Australia’s population. SBS director of sport Ken Shipp said: “We’ve never seen engagement at this level.” Mizuno spent comparatively little and had Channel 7 and Channel 9 on site.

The commercial question

For a brand with limited marketing firepower, organic PR coverage is the prize. The question for the company’s Oceania division, still in growth mode, is whether a mural and a handful of player endorsements can convert into sustained commercial traction. Retail partnerships with Ultra Football, which has created a dedicated Mizuno space at its Melbourne store, suggest the company is thinking beyond campaigns.

Mizuno’s European expansion has taken a different path. The company signed a five-year deal to become AS Monaco’s technical equipment partner from the 2025-26 season, its first entry into Ligue 1. It already has a presence in Germany’s Bundesliga and Italy’s Serie A. In Australia, institutional partnerships are harder to secure. The approach has been slower: build through athletes, then through community, then through culture.

The Queensland government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Mizuno in March 2026 to explore the Japan-Australia Sports & Health Innovation Exchange (JASHIE), a two-year partnership focused on sport and health innovation . The agreement supports Queensland’s preparations for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The mural campaign reflected a broader trend in sporting brand marketing, where IP restrictions and athlete availability increasingly demand creative solutions. “I love what Levi’s did because they were able to lean into their brand codes and tell what I believe to be the most memorable advertising story from the World Cup,” Rishi said. “This is a different page out of fundamentally the same playbook.”

Mizuno’s boots are not cheap. The Made-in-Japan models retail well above competitors’ offerings. The brand’s pitch rests on quality and heritage, not price or volume. That is a harder sell in a country where discounting dominates and cost-of-living pressures are squeezing households.

The Souttar mural will eventually fade or be painted over. Mizuno is betting that by the time it does, enough Australian football fans will have noticed the three stripes’ quieter rival.

Governance, guidelines and game integrity: Did the 2026 FIFA World Cup uphold all three?

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Image Credit: AHCPF/Shutterstock.com

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is now over. Aside from the action and drama on the pitch, it is how FIFA performed off it which will dictate its lasting legacy.

 

Money talks

Projections for this year’s tournament placed total revenue at an eye-watering figure of AUD 16 billion (USD 11 billion); in the end, the number reached AUD 21 billion (USD 15 billion).

The newly-introduced hydration breaks – much bemoaned by fans accustomed to a more traditional 45 minute half – generated further income. Fox Sports was expected to earn more than AUD 356 million (USD 250 million) from these breaks alone, taking global revenue upwards of AUD 1.4 billion (USD 1 billion).

Four minutes and 20 seconds per match, worth more than 1 billion dollars. For FIFA, therefore, time truly is money.

As the most profitable World Cup in history, it also raises further questions (and potential ideas) for how to continue the success. FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, is already considering ways to “unleash the commercial potential and opportunity that FIFA has” going forward.

“I think I can say that this FIFA World Cup here in particular has opened a lot of doors, a lot of opportunities, a lot of possibilities,” Infantino said.

“This will have an impact on what we can do all over the world, but the revenues and the financial economic success come only if the sporting side is right.”

Expanded participation – marking the first time a World Cup features 48 teams compared to the previous 32 – was a major factor in increasing revenue. More teams, more games, more sponsorship and advertising opportunities.

“There are discussions about whether we should increase more (from 48) to 64 (teams), but this will be debated and this will be discussed,” Infantino affirmed.

More revenue for FIFA should also mean its 211 Member Associations also benefit from further investment, although details regarding this remain unknown.

Record-breaking attendance

Going into the tournament, the issue surrounding ticket prices was widespread. Many fans accused the governing body of pricing fans out of the game they love – and the numbers justified it.

While tickets opened at AUD 85 (USD 60), the dynamic pricing led to resales worth tens of thousands of dollars. For the final between Spain and Argentina, fans seeking last-minute tickets needed closer to AUD 3 million (USD 2 million).

But despite the criticism aimed at the dynamic pricing system, FIFA’s resolve paid off. Attendances smashed previous records, with total attendance double the figure seen in Qatar 2022.

FIFA reported that 6,810,966 fans packed into stadiums across the 104 matches, reaching an average crowd of 65,490. With higher attendances also comes more revenue generated from hospitality within the stadium itself.

Clearly, the price of a ticket to the world’s biggest sporting tournament does not affect demand. If FIFA sets the price, people will pay.

Or rather, people who can afford these prices will.

 

Red card, rescinded

As USA and Bosnia & Herzegovina went toe-to-toe in their round-of-32 clash, few could have known the drama would continue far beyond the referee’s whistle after 90 minutes.

A red card for star-striker, Folarin Balogun, in the 64th minute prompted concerns among US fans not only for the remaining half-an-hour of play, but for the following round of the tournament: as per FIFA rules, a player who receives a red card automatically misses the subsequent match.

This was the case for Balogun, until external pressure entered the field. And for football’s global governing body, external pressure arrived in the form of the President of the United States of America.

The legality over the rescinded red card is irrelevant to the wider issue. People will dispute the various articles outlined in the FIFA Disciplinary Code, but the incident itself sets a problematic precedent for football’s global governing body: if FIFA compromises its rules and political neutrality for one nation, where does it draw the line in future tournaments?

The tournament’s integrity had already come under pressure before a match had kicked-off, following the first ever FIFA Peace Prize awarded to President Trump in December 2025. The rescinded red card ultimately added fuel to the fire.

 

A game of two halves

The FIFA World Cup 2026 was as entertaining on the pitch as it was controversial off it.

It featured some incredible individual performances from stars like Mbappe and Kane, as well as Cabo Verde’s Vozinha – the 40 year-old overnight sensation who became a tournament icon.

308 goals were scored, surpassing with flying colours the previous record of 172 in 2022. A goal-per-game ratio fo 2.96 was the highest in recorded history since 1970.

Celebrations like Norway’s ‘Viking Row’ took the world by storm, and several brands including Levi’s, Gillette and Under Armour (the latter being the tournament-winning boot sponsorship) enjoyed huge public attention online for their unique marketing approaches.

These are the stories which represent the World Cup at its very best and the side of football fans want to see: action-packed matches, world-class talent, inspirational underdog stories and moments which generate discussions between fans from all over the world.

Beyond the pitch, however, memories of this year’s tournament will be comprised of financial success marred by a failure to govern and uphold the game’s integrity throughout.

It is a disappointing contradiction, that the cost of the most entertaining and economically successful World Cup in history, is the growing concern whether we can believe in those delivering the game to us at all.

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