The Honourable Anika Wells MP
 Minister for Sport

Re: Request for an Independent Inquiry into the Governance and Financial Management of Football Australia

Dear Minister,

We write to respectfully request that the Australian Government consider commissioning an independent inquiry into the governance, financial management and accountability arrangements of Football Australia.

Football is Australia's largest team participation sport, involving more than two million participants across community, amateur, semi-professional and professional levels. The game receives significant direct and indirect public support through government investment in infrastructure, participation programs, major events, high-performance pathways and community sport initiatives, including the Australian Sports Commission recently providing Football Australia over $6.3 million in high performance funding. Given the scale of participation, the level of public investment and the importance of football to Australia's sporting and social landscape, there is a strong public interest in ensuring that Football Australia operates with the highest standards of governance, transparency and accountability.

Australian football has achieved important successes in recent years, including the growth of the Matildas, continued qualification of the Socceroos for FIFA World Cups and the successful delivery of major international events. However, concerns continue to be raised by stakeholders across the game regarding governance arrangements, financial management, decision-making processes and the representation of grassroots interests.

These concerns warrant independent examination.

Financial Management and Accountability

Football Australia's recent financial performance raises legitimate questions regarding the sustainability of its current operating model and the allocation of resources across the football ecosystem.

Publicly available financial statements indicate that Football Australia recorded losses of approximately $8.5 million in FY2024 and $15.34 million in FY2025. These results have occurred during a period in which stakeholders have raised concerns regarding the financial relationship between Football Australia and the Australian Professional Leagues (APL), the organisation responsible for operating the men's and women's A-League competitions.

Questions have also been raised regarding arrangements relating to referee costs, revenue-sharing mechanisms, gambling-related revenues, player transfer fee distributions and other financial concessions reportedly provided to support the professional game. While the details and rationale of these arrangements may be complex, their cumulative impact on Football Australia's financial position and broader investment priorities warrants independent review.

Given the significant contribution made by participants, clubs, volunteers and taxpayers to the football ecosystem, stakeholders are entitled to confidence that resources are being managed transparently, efficiently and in a manner that supports the long-term interests of the game.

Governance Structure and Representation

Stakeholders have also expressed concerns regarding whether Football Australia's current governance arrangements remain fit for purpose following significant structural changes to the game over the past decade.

Football Australia's Congress serves as the organisation's principal governance body and is responsible for appointing directors and approving constitutional changes. Under the current model, voting rights are distributed among State Member Federations, the Australian Professional Leagues, the Professional Footballers Association and representatives of women's football.

While these arrangements emerged from governance reforms undertaken in response to recommendations designed to modernise football governance, questions remain as to whether the current allocation of voting power appropriately reflects the contemporary structure of the game.

In particular, following the transfer of responsibility for operating the professional leagues to the APL in 2020, stakeholders have questioned whether governance arrangements were sufficiently updated to reflect that separation. Despite the unbundling of the professional leagues from Football Australia, the APL retained substantial influence within Congress across all matters affecting the game.

This raises a legitimate governance question: whether an organisation whose primary responsibility is the commercial success of the professional leagues should continue to exercise significant influence over decisions affecting grassroots football, national teams, participation programs and broader strategic priorities across the sport.

An independent review would provide an opportunity to assess whether current governance arrangements remain appropriate and whether they continue to serve the interests of all stakeholders across Australian football.

Board Independence and Governance Processes

Stakeholders have also raised concerns regarding board nomination processes, director independence and governance oversight.

Recent board elections and nomination processes have prompted questions regarding the concentration of influence within the game's governance structures and whether sufficient safeguards exist to ensure a diversity of perspectives at board level.

Questions have also been raised regarding procurement, contracting and oversight processes associated with major projects and strategic initiatives. While these matters may ultimately prove to have been appropriately managed, the existence of differing stakeholder views regarding governance processes highlights the need for independent examination and greater transparency.

Strong governance is not simply about compliance with constitutional requirements. It also requires stakeholder confidence that decision-making processes are transparent, independent and free from undue influence.

Grassroots Football and Long-Term Development

Many stakeholders believe that governance concerns are reflected in broader challenges facing grassroots football. Issues commonly raised include:

• The level of reinvestment into community football and participation programs;
• The affordability of football for families and participants;
• Increasing compliance, accreditation and regulatory costs imposed on grassroots clubs;
• Infrastructure shortfalls and facility constraints across many parts of Australia;
• The development of national player pathways;
• The future structure of competitions below the professional level, including the national second tier;
• The absence of a clear long-term roadmap regarding promotion and relegation;
• The quality of engagement and consultation with clubs, supporters and community stakeholders

While opinions differ regarding specific policy outcomes, there is a growing perception among many participants that grassroots football does not have sufficient influence over decisions that directly affect the future of the game.

Governance of State Member Federations

Stakeholders have also expressed concerns regarding governance arrangements within several State Member Federations.

In a number of jurisdictions, director appointment processes continue to rely upon representative or zonal systems that can limit direct accountability to clubs and participants. Recent reforms undertaken by Football Victoria demonstrate that alternative governance models are possible and may provide a useful reference point for broader consideration across the national football ecosystem.

An independent review should therefore examine not only Football Australia's governance framework, but also the governance structures of its member federations and the extent to which they align with contemporary governance best practice.

Recommendation

Given the significance of football to Australia's sporting landscape, the scale of public and participant investment in the game, and the breadth of concerns raised by stakeholders, we believe there is a strong case for an independent inquiry into football governance.

Such a review should examine:

• The appropriateness of Football Australia's current governance model;
• The governance arrangements of State Member Federations;
• The transparency, accountability and sustainability of Football Australia's financial management;
• The relationship between Football Australia and the Australian Professional Leagues;
• The effectiveness of stakeholder representation within governance structures;
• Mechanisms for ensuring meaningful grassroots input into decision-making;
• Opportunities for governance reform to better align the interests of participants, clubs, professional competitions, national teams and taxpayers.

Importantly, this inquiry should not be viewed as a criticism of any individual or stakeholder group. Rather, it should be viewed as an opportunity to ensure that the governance structures established over previous decades remain fit for purpose in a rapidly evolving football environment.

An independent, evidence-based review would provide clarity, strengthen confidence across the game and help ensure that Australian football is governed in a manner that best serves participants, supporters, clubs, volunteers and the broader community for generations to come.

We respectfully request that the Australian Government give serious consideration to this matter and to the establishment of an independent review process, potentially supported by the Australian Sports Commission and appropriately qualified governance experts

Initial signatories:

Disclaimer: All signatories are signing in their capacity as an individual and not on behalf of any organization stated below

Peter Kartsidimas, Victoria - volunteer

Graham White, Queensland - Podcaster and FSAA committee member.

Additional signatures:

Jon Price , Tasmania, (former Technical Director Hobart Zebras NPL Club)

John Haritos, VIC, club member

J.A. Rodriguez, VIC, Fan

Izzy Harding, VIC, fan

Peter Kotsiris, VIC Volunteer and Fan

Alex Araujo, NSW, Coach

Adam Howard, SA, Fan

Nick Katsa, Vic, Fan

Dontay Chin, VIC, fan

Thomas Kalas, VIC, Football Volunteer

Maurice Luksich, VIC, Fan

Nick Drossos, VIC, parent, volunteer, supporter. 

Sebastien Keisler, Victoria, fan

CJ Collett, VIC, fan

Daisy Snailham, VIC, fan

Mitchell Ryan, NNSW , Volunteer

Nicholas Belardo, ACT, Fan and Former Referee

Matthew Bradley, NSW, Fan, Past Director Women Onside

Chris Touliatos, VIC, fan

James Belias, VIC, fan.

Savvas Hatsisavvidis, Vic, Volunteer

Nicholas Tsiaras Fmr Director Football Victoria, Club Administrator, Volunteer, Player

Geraldine Snailham, VIC, fan

Michael Tsoukalis, VIC, Football Volunteer & Fan

George Karavelas, Victoria, Fan

Ray Gatt NSW Fan and former football writer The Australian

Olivier Dubois, NSW, Fan

Jan Hanok, VIC, fan

Dane Loose, VIC, fan