Football (soccer) in Australia
Encyclopedia
Soccer is a popular recreational and professional sport in Australia. The sport has a high level of participation in Australia. The fully professional A-League
domestic competition has been operating since 2005 and the national team competes in the Asian Football Confederation
. The national governing body is Football Federation Australia
(formerly Soccer Australia).
in Parramatta
, New South Wales in 1880. The first game known to have occurred in New South Wales under FA
rules took place the same year, when Wanderers played the Kings School
rugby football
team at Parramatta Common on 14 August. However, the oldest existing club is Balgownie Rangers, founded in 1883, which still competes in the Illawarra
regional league.
and rugby football
, rival codes which had become very popular in the various Australian colonies during the 1860s and 1870s. The first inter-colonial game was played between New South Wales and the neighbouring Colony of Victoria
in 1883.
The first association was founded in New South Wales
by John Walter Fletcher in 1882, as the South British Football Association (some sources refer to it as the New South Wales English Football Association. In 1898 it became the NSW British Football Association.)
In 1884 both Queensland and Victoria formed their own associations, respectively the Anglo-Queensland Football Association (later to become the Queensland British Football Association in 1890) and the Anglo-Australian Football Association. The Western Australian Soccer Football Association was formed in 1896; the South Australia
n British Football Association in 1902; and a Tasmania
n association about 1900.
The first Australia-wide body was the Commonwealth Football Association, formed in 1912, although this folded two years later.
an immigrant communities, all of which expanded rapidly during the 1950s and 1960s: Croatian
, Greek
, Italian and Serbian
communities gave rise to most of the largest clubs. At the time, the game served as a bonding force within those ethnic minority communities, and as a point of identity amongst them and the wider Australian community. A similarly increasing number of British migrants also retained an interest in the sport.
Johnny Warren
, who was a member of the national team at their first World Cup
appearance, in 1974, entitled his memoir Sheila
s, Wogs, and Poofters, giving an indication of how Warren considered that the wider Australian community viewed "wog
ball" in the 1970s.
and Football Federation Australia
respectively.
The first season of the new league began in August 2005. The average attendance (including finals) for the inaugural season
of 11,627 was significantly higher than the average of 4,119 for the NSL's final season.
The national women's league the W-League
had its inaugural season in 2008 replacing the long dormant Women's National Soccer League
as the national women's league.
The A-League National Youth League
was launched in 2008–2009 to provide a reserve/youth league for competitors in the A-League
.
:
style knock out competition however each state, except Victoria and Queensland (who have regional cups), has its own cup competitions run by the state and territory federations. Some restrict the participants to only the top flight or semi pro clubs whilst others have more open entries via invitation or qualifying rounds. Ther oldest competition is the Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament
which has been running continuously since 1974. The highest cup competitions in each state/territory are:
.
On 16 November 2005, the Socceroos defeated Uruguay
4–2 in a penalty shootout to secure a place in the 2006 FIFA World Cup
, the first time Australia has been in the World Cup
since 1974
.
On 12 June 2006, Australia defeated Japan
. Down 1–0 in the 84th minute, the Socceroos scored three goals in eight minutes, all by second-half subs; Tim Cahill
(2 goals) and John Aloisi
, giving them not only their first World Cup goals, but also their first World Cup win.
On 18 June 2006, Australia were defeated by Brazil
. The final score was 2–0, although the half time the score had remained at 0–0. The loss was to some degree expected because the match was played against the reigning world champions. Following this match, on 22 June Australia drew with Croatia
2–2 in their final group match, and qualified for the knockout round of 16 for the first time in history.
On 27 June 2006, Australia were defeated by Italy
after a controversial penalty was awarded in the 95th minute of the game to Francesco Totti
. The matched ended 1–0 in favour of eventual champions Italy, and the result put an end to Australia's World Cup 2006 campaign.
The Japan and Italy games were the top rating television programs in their respective weeks, and the Croatia game was the second highest in its week, despite the matches being broadcast between 11 pm and 5 am. However, the games were still outrated by other sport-related programs broadcast during 2006. The second round game against Italy was tenth on OzTam
's survey of the most watched Australian TV events for 2006.
are known as the Matildas and regularly qualify for the FIFA Women's World Cup
and Olympic Games
.
The Matildas are widely acknowledged as one of the most improved teams currently in women's competition followed by their quarter-final showing at the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup; and are currently ranked
inside the top 20 nations in the world at 12th.
activities in Australia, including the National Futsal Championships, are organised by a National Futsal Commission of Football Federation Australia.
The following Futsal State Federations are members of the National Futsal Commission:
Note: Not to be confused with other forms of indoor association football such as five-a-side football
or indoor soccer
.
represented Australia in the 2005 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup
coming 9th. The only other major tournament Australia has particpated in is the 2009 AFC Beach Soccer Championship
where it came 5th.
which controls what must be kept on free to air television in Australia includes only the FA Cup
games. The Domestic A-League will be added to the anti-siphoning list, but not until 2014 in order to prevent a breach of contract on the part of Football Federation Australia.
Following a A$
120million, seven year deal deal between the FFA
and Fox Sports
, Fox Sports will have exclusive rights from 2007 to all Socceroos home internationals, all A-League
and AFC Asian Cup
fixtures, FIFA World Cup
qualifiers through the AFC, and all AFC Champions League
matches.
Representing the most significant TV rights agreement for association football in Australia, it is still relatively small compared to European soccer leagues, such as the Premier League in England.
Fox Sports also has exclusive rights to the English Premier League and shows every match, with a viewers choice option available to viewers when multiple matches are being played at the same time.
SBS
shows live UEFA Champions League
and UEFA Europa League games and retains the Australian broadcast rights to the 2010 FIFA World Cup
and 2014 FIFA World Cup
finals. Pay Television stations (Fox Sports
, ESPN
and Setanta
) also show Scottish
, Italian
, German
, Dutch
and Spanish
leagues.
As of the 2009–10 season, free-to-air digital station ONE HD airs the German Bundesliga
, Italian Serie A
and the FIFA Club World Cup
competitions live and commercial free.
The AMFL is the Sydney-based soccer competition for media groups. It is a mixed-league competition (men and women playing in the same team) and currently comprises teams from the Sydney Morning Herald, Sun-Herald, News Ltd., ABC-TV/Radio, Fairfax Magazines, and ACP Magazines. The AMFL is based in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, and all games are played in Queens Park, Waverley. The competition runs from end of March to end of August each year. The intention is to expand the competition with the addition of extra teams for the 2012 season, and submissions will be considered until 31 January 2012. The league is open to teams from all areas of media: print, TV, publishing, Pay TV, copyright, radio, advertising, IT, music publishing. The AMFL president is Jules Normington, of Bronte, NSW.
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
domestic competition has been operating since 2005 and the national team competes in the Asian Football Confederation
Asian Football Confederation
The Asian Football Confederation is the governing body of association football in Asia. It has 46 member countries, mostly located on the Asian continent. However, due to the disputed boundary of Europe and Asia, nations such as Russia and Turkey which are located mostly in geographic Asia are...
. The national governing body is Football Federation Australia
Football Federation Australia
Football Federation Australia is the governing body for the sport of football in Australia. Before 1 January 2005, it was known as the Australian Soccer Association , which succeeded Soccer Australia in this role in 2003...
(formerly Soccer Australia).
History
The first recorded game took place in Hobart on 10 May 1879 when the Cricketers Football Club played a scratch match. The first recorded inter-club match took place a month later when the Cricketers took on New Town FC on 7 June. This information predates what was thought to be the first recorded club, Wanderers, founded by a school teacher named John Walter FletcherJohn Walter Fletcher
John Walter Fletcher, 11 May 1847–28 February 1918 is widely regarded as the "father of Australian soccer" . He was also prominent in New South Wales as a teacher and a magistrate....
in Parramatta
Parramatta, New South Wales
Parramatta is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in Greater Western Sydney west of the Sydney central business district on the banks of the Parramatta River. Parramatta is the administrative seat of the Local Government Area of the City of Parramatta...
, New South Wales in 1880. The first game known to have occurred in New South Wales under FA
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
rules took place the same year, when Wanderers played the Kings School
The King's School, Sydney
The King's School is an independent Anglican, day and boarding school for boys in North Parramatta in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831, it is Australia's oldest school and forms one of the nine "Great Public Schools" of New South Wales. Situated within a site, Gowan Brae,...
rugby football
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
team at Parramatta Common on 14 August. However, the oldest existing club is Balgownie Rangers, founded in 1883, which still competes in the Illawarra
Illawarra
Illawarra is a region in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is a coastal region situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the Shoalhaven or South Coast region. It encompasses the cities of Wollongong, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven and the town of Kiama. The central region contains Lake...
regional league.
Early governing bodies
The early governing bodies of the sport in Australia had to distinguish themselves from Australian rules footballAustralian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
and rugby football
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
, rival codes which had become very popular in the various Australian colonies during the 1860s and 1870s. The first inter-colonial game was played between New South Wales and the neighbouring Colony of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
in 1883.
The first association was founded in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
by John Walter Fletcher in 1882, as the South British Football Association (some sources refer to it as the New South Wales English Football Association. In 1898 it became the NSW British Football Association.)
In 1884 both Queensland and Victoria formed their own associations, respectively the Anglo-Queensland Football Association (later to become the Queensland British Football Association in 1890) and the Anglo-Australian Football Association. The Western Australian Soccer Football Association was formed in 1896; the South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
n British Football Association in 1902; and a Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
n association about 1900.
The first Australia-wide body was the Commonwealth Football Association, formed in 1912, although this folded two years later.
Effects of immigration
While native-born Australians overwhelmingly played and watched Australian rules football or either code of rugby football, soccer was highly popular with the various British and Southern EuropeEuropean Australian
A European Australian is a citizen or resident of Australia who has origins in any of the original peoples of Europe...
an immigrant communities, all of which expanded rapidly during the 1950s and 1960s: Croatian
Croatian Australian
Croatia has been a source of migrants to Australia, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s. In 2006, 128,051 persons resident in Australia identified themselves as having Croatian ancestry.- History :...
, Greek
Greek Australian
Greeks are the seventh-largest ethnic group in Australia, after those declaring their ancestry simply as "Australian". In the 2006 census, 365,147 persons declared having Greek ancestry, either alone or in conjunction with another ethnicity....
, Italian and Serbian
Serbian Australian
Serbian Australians are citizens of Australia who are of Serbian ancestry. According to the 2006 census, there are 95,364 people in Australia who are of Serbian ancestry. Serbs have migrated to Australia in various waves during the 20th century...
communities gave rise to most of the largest clubs. At the time, the game served as a bonding force within those ethnic minority communities, and as a point of identity amongst them and the wider Australian community. A similarly increasing number of British migrants also retained an interest in the sport.
Johnny Warren
Johnny Warren
John Norman Warren, MBE, OAM was an Australian football player, coach, administrator, writer and broadcaster. He was known as Captain Socceroo for his passionate work to promote the game in Australia...
, who was a member of the national team at their first World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
appearance, in 1974, entitled his memoir Sheila
Sheila
Sheila is a common given name for a female, derived from the Gaelic name Síle/Sìle, which is believed to be a Gaelic form of Julia or Cecilia. Like "Cecil" or "Cecilia", the name means "blind", from the Latin word caecus...
s, Wogs, and Poofters, giving an indication of how Warren considered that the wider Australian community viewed "wog
Wog
Wog or Pog is a slang word with a number of meanings, generally considered derogatory and, in some instances, extremely offensive when used in relation to ethnicity...
ball" in the 1970s.
League system
The league system in Australia since 1977 has involved a one divisional league controlled by the national body and many leagues run within each state below that with no promotion or relegation between the two.National leagues
The National Soccer League (NSL) was established in 1977 and was the first national soccer competition in Australia, with teams in five states or territories. This league, and Soccer Australia, were disbanded in 2004 and replaced by the A-LeagueA-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
and Football Federation Australia
Football Federation Australia
Football Federation Australia is the governing body for the sport of football in Australia. Before 1 January 2005, it was known as the Australian Soccer Association , which succeeded Soccer Australia in this role in 2003...
respectively.
The first season of the new league began in August 2005. The average attendance (including finals) for the inaugural season
A-League 2005-06
The 2005-06 season was the first season of the A-League, a domestic club competition for football in Australia. After over 12 months without a national professional club competition, the first match in the A-League was played on 26 August 2005...
of 11,627 was significantly higher than the average of 4,119 for the NSL's final season.
The national women's league the W-League
W-League (Australia)
The W-League is the preeminent women's semi-professional football league in Australia. Established in 2008, it is composed of eight teams - seven of them are affiliated with seven of the Australian clubs currently in the A-League, with the eighth team based in Canberra...
had its inaugural season in 2008 replacing the long dormant Women's National Soccer League
Women's National Soccer League
The Women’s National Soccer League was Australia's top women's football league and was the breeding ground of many of Australia's world-class players....
as the national women's league.
The A-League National Youth League
A-League National Youth League
The A-League National Youth League is an Australian national football league run in parallel to the A-League. The aim of a league is to provide a pathway for young players and state league players to play regular high-level football, and allow reserve players from senior A-League teams to remain...
was launched in 2008–2009 to provide a reserve/youth league for competitors in the A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
.
State governing bodies and leagues
The following state and territory federations are responsible for administering local league systems, which sit underneath the A-LeagueA-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
:
- Football NSW (207,190 players in 2008)Annual Report
- Football QueenslandFootball QueenslandFootball Queensland , often abbreviated to the FQ, is the governing body of association football in the Australian State of Queensland. The body changed its name to be more in line with the new Football Federation Australia in 2005...
- Northern New South Wales FootballNorthern New South Wales FootballNorthern New South Wales Football is the governing body for football of the northern zone of New South Wales, Australia. It is a member of the national governing body, the Football Federation of Australia.-NBN State Football League:...
(48,695 regular/1286 Futsal players in 2008)Annual Report - Football Federation VictoriaFootball Federation VictoriaFootball Federation Victoria is the state governing body for football in Victoria, Australia. It is affiliated with Football Federation Australia, the sport's national governing body....
(48,889 regular/2915 Futsal players in 2008)Annual Report - Football Federation TasmaniaFootball Federation TasmaniaFootball Federation Tasmania is the governing body for Association football in the Australian state of Tasmania. The federation oversees leagues in Northern and Southern Tasmania, Tasmanian representative teams, and development of the sport in the state...
- Football Federation of South AustraliaFootball Federation of South AustraliaThe Football Federation of South Australia is the governing body of association football in South Australia. The FFSA are affiliated to the Football Federation Australia...
(10,000 players in 2008)Annual Report - Football WestFootball WestFootball West is the state governing body for association football in Western Australia. It is affiliated with the Football Federation Australia, the sport's national governing body...
(33,512 players in 2008) Annual Report - Capital Football (ACT)Capital FootballCapital Football is the trading name for the ACT Football Federation Incorporated, the state governing body for association football in the Australian Capital Territory...
(11,929 Juniors, 2500 men 2676 futsal 1200 women players in 2008)Annual Report - Football Federation Northern TerritoryFootball Federation Northern TerritoryThe Football Federation Northern Territory is the state governing body for association football in the Northern Territory, Australia. It is affiliated with Football Federation Australia, the national governing body...
Cup Competitions
There is currently no national FA CupFA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
style knock out competition however each state, except Victoria and Queensland (who have regional cups), has its own cup competitions run by the state and territory federations. Some restrict the participants to only the top flight or semi pro clubs whilst others have more open entries via invitation or qualifying rounds. Ther oldest competition is the Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament
Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament
The Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament is a tournament run by the Croatian Soccer Federation of Australia and New Zealand, an organisation founded in 1974. The inspiration for the tournament came from the successful Croatian-North American Soccer Tournament founded in 1964...
which has been running continuously since 1974. The highest cup competitions in each state/territory are:
- Waratah CupWaratah CupThe Waratah Cup is a knockout cup competition in New South Wales, run by the governing body of football in NSW, Football NSW...
(NSW) - Dockerty CupDockerty CupThe Dockerty Cup is a football competition held between clubs in Victoria, Australia. It is named after Harry Dockerty, a former president of the Victorian Soccer Federation. It has been in recess since 1996, except for the year 2004...
(Vic) - Milan Lakoseljac Cup (Tas)
- Solo Cup (NNSW)
National teams
Australia enters national teams into women's and men's competitions including in all under-age competitions, as recognised by FIFAFIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
.
Men's national team
The Australian national association football team is nicknamed the Socceroos. In early 2005 with the re-launch of the game in Australia as "football", the FFA hoped the name would fade away, and for the team to be referred to as "Australia". Nevertheless, the name Socceroos was still used by other parts of the media, and by mid-2006 the name "Socceroos" was again being used on the official website, programs and merchandise.On 16 November 2005, the Socceroos defeated Uruguay
Uruguay national football team
The Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
4–2 in a penalty shootout to secure a place in the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, the first time Australia has been in the World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
since 1974
1974 FIFA World Cup
The 1974 FIFA World Cup, the tenth staging of the World Cup, was held in West Germany from 13 June to 7 July. The tournament marked the first time that the current trophy, the FIFA World Cup Trophy, created by the Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, was awarded...
.
On 12 June 2006, Australia defeated Japan
Japan national football team
The Japan national football team represents Japan in association football and is operated by the Japan Football Association, the governing body for association football in Japan...
. Down 1–0 in the 84th minute, the Socceroos scored three goals in eight minutes, all by second-half subs; Tim Cahill
Tim Cahill
Timothy Filiga "Tim" Cahill is an football player of Australian nationality who plays for Everton and the Australian national football team...
(2 goals) and John Aloisi
John Aloisi
John Aloisi is a retired Australian football player who played as a striker, and the current youth team manager at Melbourne Heart....
, giving them not only their first World Cup goals, but also their first World Cup win.
On 18 June 2006, Australia were defeated by Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
. The final score was 2–0, although the half time the score had remained at 0–0. The loss was to some degree expected because the match was played against the reigning world champions. Following this match, on 22 June Australia drew with Croatia
Croatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
2–2 in their final group match, and qualified for the knockout round of 16 for the first time in history.
On 27 June 2006, Australia were defeated by Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
after a controversial penalty was awarded in the 95th minute of the game to Francesco Totti
Francesco Totti
Francesco Totti, Ufficiale OMRI, is an Italian footballer who is the captain of Serie A club Roma. His primary position is that of a trequartista, though he has also been successfully utilized as a lone striker. Totti has spent his entire career at Roma, is the number-one goalscorer and the most...
. The matched ended 1–0 in favour of eventual champions Italy, and the result put an end to Australia's World Cup 2006 campaign.
The Japan and Italy games were the top rating television programs in their respective weeks, and the Croatia game was the second highest in its week, despite the matches being broadcast between 11 pm and 5 am. However, the games were still outrated by other sport-related programs broadcast during 2006. The second round game against Italy was tenth on OzTam
OzTAM
OzTAM is an Australian audience measurement research firm that collects and markets television ratings data. It is jointly owned by the Seven Network, the Nine Network and Network Ten, and is the official source of television ratings data for all metropolitan television in Sydney, Melbourne,...
's survey of the most watched Australian TV events for 2006.
Women's national association football team
The Australian national women's football teamAustralia women's national association football team
The Australia women's national association football team, nicknamed the Matildas , represents Australia in international women's association football and is governed by Football Federation Australia . The team has regularly qualified for both the Women's World Cup and the Olympics although has won...
are known as the Matildas and regularly qualify for the FIFA Women's World Cup
FIFA Women's World Cup
The FIFA Women's World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the senior women's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the...
and Olympic Games
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
.
The Matildas are widely acknowledged as one of the most improved teams currently in women's competition followed by their quarter-final showing at the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup; and are currently ranked
FIFA Women's World Rankings
The FIFA Women's World Rankings for football were introduced in 2003, with the first rankings published in March of that year, as a follow-on to the existing FIFA World Rankings for men...
inside the top 20 nations in the world at 12th.
Futsal
FutsalFutsal
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
activities in Australia, including the National Futsal Championships, are organised by a National Futsal Commission of Football Federation Australia.
The following Futsal State Federations are members of the National Futsal Commission:
- ACT Futsal Inc
- Soccer NSW Futsal
- QLD Futsal Association Inc
- South Australia Futsal Commission
Note: Not to be confused with other forms of indoor association football such as five-a-side football
Five-a-side football
thumb|240px|alt=Men playing football on artificial grass pitch.|Five-a-side game on astroturf pitch.Five-a-side football is a variation of association football in which each team fields five players , rather than the usual eleven on each team. Other differences from football include a smaller...
or indoor soccer
Indoor soccer
Indoor soccer or arena soccer, or six-a-side football in the United Kingdom, is a game derived from association football adapted for play in an indoor arena such as a turf-covered hockey arena or skating rink. The most important difference in play is that the indoor field is surrounded by a wall...
.
Beach soccer
Australia national beach soccer teamAustralia national beach soccer team
The Australia national beach soccer team represents Australia in international beach soccer competitions and is controlled by Football Federation Australia, the governing body for association football in Australia.-Achievements:...
represented Australia in the 2005 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup
2005 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup
The 2005 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup was the first edition of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, governed by FIFA. Previous editions before 2005 were not governed by FIFA and were held under the title Beach Soccer World Championships. Overall this was the 11th edition of the world cup since its...
coming 9th. The only other major tournament Australia has particpated in is the 2009 AFC Beach Soccer Championship
2009 AFC Beach Soccer Championship
The 2009 AFC Beach Soccer Championship was a qualifying tournament held during 7 November – 11, 2009 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates that determined which two participants will represent the AFC region at the 2009 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.-Format:...
where it came 5th.
Association football in the media
Pay television is the predominant outlet for both domestic and international Soccer in Australia. Some games can also can be heard on local radio stations. The anti-siphoning listAustralia's Anti-siphoning laws
Anti-siphoning laws in Australia regulate the media companies' access to significant sporting events. In 1992, when the country experienced growth in paid-subscription media, the Parliament of Australia enacted the Broadcasting Services Act that gave free-to-air broadcasters preferential access to...
which controls what must be kept on free to air television in Australia includes only the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
games. The Domestic A-League will be added to the anti-siphoning list, but not until 2014 in order to prevent a breach of contract on the part of Football Federation Australia.
Following a A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
120million, seven year deal deal between the FFA
Football Federation Australia
Football Federation Australia is the governing body for the sport of football in Australia. Before 1 January 2005, it was known as the Australian Soccer Association , which succeeded Soccer Australia in this role in 2003...
and Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)
Fox Sports is an Australia group of sports channels. They are owned by the Premier Media Group, which is in turn owned by News Corporation, and Consolidated Media Holdings. Its main competitors are ESPN, which has little local content and the free-to-air digital channel One HD...
, Fox Sports will have exclusive rights from 2007 to all Socceroos home internationals, all A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
and AFC Asian Cup
AFC Asian Cup
The AFC Asian Cup is an international association football tournament run by the Asian Football Confederation . It is the second oldest continental football championship in the world after Copa América. The winning team becomes the champion of Asia and automatically qualifies for the FIFA...
fixtures, FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
qualifiers through the AFC, and all AFC Champions League
AFC Champions League
The AFC Champions League is the premier Asian club football competition hosted annually by Asian Football Confederation . The tournament is contested among the top thirty-two clubs from the top 10 Asian leagues, two of which must qualify through the playoffs...
matches.
Representing the most significant TV rights agreement for association football in Australia, it is still relatively small compared to European soccer leagues, such as the Premier League in England.
Fox Sports also has exclusive rights to the English Premier League and shows every match, with a viewers choice option available to viewers when multiple matches are being played at the same time.
SBS
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
shows live UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
and UEFA Europa League games and retains the Australian broadcast rights to the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
and 2014 FIFA World Cup
2014 FIFA World Cup
The 2014 FIFA World Cup will be the 20th FIFA World Cup, an international association football tournament that will take place in Brazil from 12 June to 13 July 2014....
finals. Pay Television stations (Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)
Fox Sports is an Australia group of sports channels. They are owned by the Premier Media Group, which is in turn owned by News Corporation, and Consolidated Media Holdings. Its main competitors are ESPN, which has little local content and the free-to-air digital channel One HD...
, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and Setanta
Setanta Sports
Setanta Sports is an international sports broadcaster based in Dublin, Ireland. Setanta Sports was formed in 1990 to facilitate the broadcasting of Irish sporting events...
) also show Scottish
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
, Italian
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
, German
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
, Dutch
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
and Spanish
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
leagues.
As of the 2009–10 season, free-to-air digital station ONE HD airs the German Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
, Italian Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
and the FIFA Club World Cup
FIFA Club World Cup
The FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000...
competitions live and commercial free.
The AMFL is the Sydney-based soccer competition for media groups. It is a mixed-league competition (men and women playing in the same team) and currently comprises teams from the Sydney Morning Herald, Sun-Herald, News Ltd., ABC-TV/Radio, Fairfax Magazines, and ACP Magazines. The AMFL is based in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, and all games are played in Queens Park, Waverley. The competition runs from end of March to end of August each year. The intention is to expand the competition with the addition of extra teams for the 2012 season, and submissions will be considered until 31 January 2012. The league is open to teams from all areas of media: print, TV, publishing, Pay TV, copyright, radio, advertising, IT, music publishing. The AMFL president is Jules Normington, of Bronte, NSW.