In December of last year, Saudi Arabia was officially announced as the host nation for the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

This makes them the fourth country from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to host the tournament—following Japan and South Korea in 2002, and more recently, Qatar in 2022.

What stood out about Saudi Arabia’s selection, though, was the lack of competition—they ended up being the only country to submit a formal bid.

Australia, a fellow AFC member nation had initially expressed interest in hosting the 2034 World Cup, but with Saudi Arabia heavily investing in their bid and momentum clearly shifting in their favor, Australia chose to step back.

Instead, they redirected their focus toward hosting the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup—an event they were awarded in 2024—and the 2029 Club World Cup.

This isn’t the first time Australia has tried to bring the World Cup Down Under. Back in 2010, they launched a bid to host the 2022 tournament.

However, it ended in disappointment—they received just one vote in the first round, while Qatar controversially secured hosting rights under what many described as “suspicious circumstances.”

Now, 15 years after that failed bid, and with Saudi Arabia next in line to host, it seems increasingly unlikely that Australia will get a World Cup anytime soon. And there are several reasons why that might be the case.

Cost Factor

One of the major reasons Australia may not host a men’s FIFA World Cup in the near future is due to the enormous cost involved in staging the tournament.

According to Statista, Qatar spent a staggering $220 billion USD ($342 billion AUD) to host the 2022 World Cup, making it the most expensive edition in the tournament’s history.

This was largely due to Qatar needing to build much of the necessary infrastructure from scratch.

Even so, previous World Cups have still come with hefty price tags.

Russia spent around $11.6 billion USD ($18 billion AUD) to host the 2018 tournament, while Brazil’s 2014 World Cup cost about $15 billion USD ($23 billion AUD).

In fact, the last men’s World Cup to cost under $1 billion USD ($1.56 billion AUD) was the 1994 tournament held in the United States.

In contrast, the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup—co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand—had a far more modest price tag.

According to FIFA’s bid evaluation report, the tournament was expected to cost around $150 million AUD, with just over $100 million AUD contributed by governments.

Not only does the Women’s World Cup cost significantly less to host, but many of the stadiums and infrastructure acceptable for the women’s tournament would fall short of FIFA’s stricter requirements for the men’s event.

To meet those higher standards, Australia would need to make substantial upgrades, adding further to the cost.

Beyond the economic risks, there's also a broader question of national priorities.

Australia may ultimately decide that the billions required to secure and host a men’s World Cup could be better invested elsewhere—into areas that deliver more lasting and equitable benefits for the population.

For example, upgrading the nation’s public health system, affordable housing initiatives, education infrastructure, and climate resilience projects are all pressing needs that demand long-term funding and attention.

Investments in regional transport networks, Indigenous community support, and renewable energy development could arguably provide a stronger return on investment in terms of social and economic outcomes.

Given these competing priorities and the immense cost of hosting, Australia may find that the pursuit of a men’s FIFA World Cup is a luxury it simply can’t justify—at least not in the foreseeable future.

Rival Interest

Rival nations within the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) would play a major role in limiting Australia's chances of hosting a Men’s FIFA World Cup.

The FIFA World Cup is the biggest sporting event in the world, and the competition to host it is incredibly fierce.

Countries go to great lengths to secure hosting rights, especially within the AFC, where Arab nations in particular have been extremely proactive.

One major factor is the concept of sportswashing—the practice of using sports to improve a country’s global image, often as a way to divert attention from human rights issues or political controversies.

This has become especially common in the Middle East over the past decade.

Between early 2021 and mid-2023, Saudi Arabia alone reportedly spent $6.3 billion on sportswashing efforts, including around 300 sponsorship deals.

Their investments span across numerous sports: boxing, motorsport, snooker, golf, ATP tennis, cricket, and even the America’s Cup sailing regatta.

However, football has been their biggest focus.

In recent years, Saudi Arabia's top-tier football league—the Saudi Pro League (SPL)—has emerged as Asia’s most high-profile domestic competition.

This rise in prominence has largely been driven by the league signing world-famous players to extremely lucrative contracts.

The most notable example is Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the most recognisable athlete on the planet, who joined Al Nassr on a deal reported to be worth around $207 million USD (approximately $322 million AUD) per season.

But Saudi influence in football isn’t limited to their domestic league. They’ve also hosted major international club competitions.

For instance, five of the last six editions of the Supercopa de España—a tournament featuring the top Spanish clubs—have been held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital.

Now it's not just the World Cup, looking at the AFC Asian Cup, the premier men’s international football tournament in Asia, three of the last four editions were hosted by Arab nations.

Qatar alone hosted it twice during that period and Saudi Arabia is also set to host the 2027 edition.

So, Australia faces stiff competition within the AFC for the rights to host a World Cup—particularly from wealthy and politically influential Arab nations that have a proven track record of securing major football events.

The last FIFA World Cup (2022) was held in Qatar, and the next AFC host is Saudi Arabia and based on the current pattern, it wouldn’t be surprising if another Arab nation—such as the UAE—secured the next opportunity after that.

Location

One major factor that could affect Australia’s chances of hosting a men’s FIFA World Cup is its geographical location.

Because Australia is so far from Europe and the Americas—where most of the global football audience is—many matches would air at inconvenient times in those regions, potentially lowering TV viewership.

This issue was already evident during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which was co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

According to FIFA, the final between Spain and England reached 222.02 million viewers.

That’s a noticeable drop compared to the 2019 final in France, where the USA faced the Netherlands and drew 263.62 million viewers.

A decline like this in viewership could make FIFA and its broadcasting partners think twice about holding a men’s World Cup in Australia.

Speaking of broadcasting, broadcast rights are another concern with time zone differences potentially reducing the value of international broadcast deals, since matches wouldn’t air during prime hours in key markets.

In fact, ahead of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, FIFA reportedly missed its target for selling broadcast rights by about $100 million USD ( $155 million AUD), according to the Wall Street Journal.

FIFA had hoped to bring in $300 million USD ($466 million AUD), but only managed around $200 million USD ($310 million AUD).

It even reached a point where FIFA president Gianni Infantino warned of a possible TV blackout across Europe unless broadcasters increased their offers.

All of this shows how Australia’s remote location could seriously impact global viewership and broadcasting revenue, making it a tougher sell as a host for a future men’s World Cup.

Conclusion

So, in light of these financial, geopolitical, and logistical challenges, it’s clear that the odds of Australia hosting a FIFA World Cup remain firmly stacked against them—making another failed bid not just possible, but increasingly probable.

Given the significant financial demands, complex geopolitical dynamics, and substantial logistical hurdles involved, it becomes increasingly evident that Australia faces an uphill battle in its pursuit of hosting a FIFA World Cup.

These compounding challenges not only diminish the likelihood of a successful bid in the near future, but also raise the probability that any renewed attempt could end in yet another disappointment.

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After a six-year legal battle, US Soccer and Relevent Sports have reached a settlement in the latter's antitrust lawsuit which opens the potential for European leagues to play games in the US.

Recently Relevent’s lawyers filed a motion in federal court to dismiss their case against U.S. Soccer with prejudice—which means they won’t be able to bring the same lawsuit or claims against the federation again in the future.

US Soccer expresses relief as a longstanding issue is resolved, allowing the organisation to fully focus on growth and building momentum ahead of the upcoming World Cup.

“We are pleased to put this matter behind us as we remain focused on growing the game and harnessing the momentum of US Soccer ahead of next year’s World Cup," US Soccer said via statement on ESPN.

The details of the settlement haven’t been made public, bringing an end to the long-running legal battle between the federation and Relevent Sports, the agency co-founded and owned by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross.

Relevent had already reached a separate deal with FIFA last year, agreeing to remove soccer’s global governing body from the lawsuit as a co-defendant.

“We appreciate US Soccer’s collaboration in reaching this settlement,” Relevent chief executive Danny Sillman told ESPN via statement.

”Ultimately, we all share the same goal: growing the sport throughout America.

“We’re excited to continue supporting clubs from Europe and around the world to expand the sport’s reach and impact across the US.”

Relevent first revealed plans in 2018 to host a La Liga match between Barcelona and Girona in Miami, as part of its 15-year commercial deal with Spain’s top football league.

FIFA quickly responded by introducing a policy that banned league matches from being played outside the home countries of the participating clubs.

As a result, Barcelona pulled out of the game, there was also disagreement between La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) over the idea of playing a league match overseas.

Relevent later tried to bring an Ecuadorian league match to the US, with support from LigaPro Ecuador, but U.S. Soccer denied approval, again citing FIFA’s policy.

In response, Relevent sued both U.S. Soccer and FIFA in 2019, accusing them of working together to block foreign league games in the U.S.

The lawsuit claimed this was done to protect Soccer United Marketing (SUM), Major League Soccer’s (MLS) commercial arm, and prevent competition.

Although the case was initially dismissed in July 2021, that decision was overturned in May 2023, opening the door for a trial.

Relevent eventually reached a settlement with FIFA, which included the creation of a working group to explore possible changes to its rules on international matches.

Just last month, it was confirmed that Relevent had secured the global commercial rights for UEFA’s men’s club competitions over a six-season cycle starting in 2027/28.

This means Relevent will now manage, sell, and market the commercial rights for the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League worldwide.

Additionally to collaborating with La Liga, Relevent also has commercial partnerships with the English Football League (EFL) and the Bundesliga, it's also responsible for scheduling and promoting pre-season Premier League games in the US.

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Mauritania has celebrated two momentous football developments with FIFA as the African nation pushes to strengthen the talent of its upcoming stars.

In a milestone ceremony in Nouakchott, the Mauritanian Football Association (FFRIM) welcomed FIFA representatives, over 30 presidents from African FIFA Member Associations and a number of other global members to celebrate the opening of the FIFA Talent Academy Mauritania: the first FIFA Talent Academy in Africa.

Additionally, the FFRIM also announced the launched of the Cheikha Boïdiya Stadium project, a plan to double the stadium's capacity to 16,000 people, supported by an investment of 4.67 million AUD through the FIFA Forward 3.0 Programme.

President of the Mauritanian Football Association, Ahmed Yahya explained the impact the FIFA Talent Academy would have on football in the country.

“We feel honoured and proud to have this academy in Mauritania,” he said via press release

“This academy represents a key asset for us because it will bring footballers who can raise the standards in our local league football and our national teams, as well as training professionals who will enhance our country's image.”

In addition to providing academy players with world class coaching, equipment and playing oppurtunities, the academy will also focus on personal development, ingraining valuable core principles and skills within players for life.

In a video message, FIFA President Gianni Infantino remarked on the importance of the new FIFA Talent Academy for Mauritania and FIFA.

“Today is a great day for football in Mauritania – a country that is passionate about our beautiful sport [and] where football progresses and grows from day to day," Infantino said.

“[This is] an extremely important moment for all the young talents in this country. We launched [the FIFA Talent Development Scheme] three years ago with a very simple objective: to give every talented player the chance to maximise their potential, regardless of their origin and situation.”

FIFA will continue to support nations across the world through its Talent Development Scheme as it seeks to expand the number of FIFA Talent Academies to 75 by 2027 as part of the organisation's Strategic Objectives for the Global Game.

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Long-standing FIFA partner Coca-Cola has settled a legal dispute with the international football governing body and will now sponsor the revamped FIFA Club World Cup this June in the United States.

In October 2023, Coca-Cola lodged a legal complaint against FIFA at the Arbitration Centre in Zurich, Switzerland, arguing that its existing partnership agreement should have included sponsorship rights for the Club World Cup.

At the time, FIFA had only secured one confirmed sponsor for the tournament and was reportedly renegotiating contracts with existing partners, a move that left Coca-Cola “less than thrilled,” according to The Guardian.

FIFA’s struggles to attract sponsors

Coca-Cola has a partnership agreement with FIFA that extends until 2030, covering major tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup. The beverage giant believed that FIFA was prioritising new sponsors over long-term partners like itself.

While the details of the resolution remain unclear, Coca-Cola has now officially joined Bank of America and the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund as sponsors of the tournament. FIFA will likely welcome this resolution, as reports suggest the governing body has faced difficulties in attracting commercial interest for the expanded Club World Cup, which aims to secure up to 10 sponsors to generate over $1 billion in revenue.

The long-standing partnership continues strong

FIFA Chief Business Officer Romy Gai spoke on the incredible relationship between the two parties despite recent issues.

“The Coca-Cola Company has been involved in stadium advertising at every FIFA World Cup since 1950 and has provided many memorable experiences in global football over the decades," he said in a press release.

"We are delighted to have such an important and a long-standing partner on board as we usher in a new era in global club football with the FIFA Club World Cup. This will be an exciting, inclusive and a truly global tournament that will ultimately further the development of the club game while delivering value to our partners."

Brad Ross, Vice President of Global Sports and Entertainment Marketing and Partnerships at The Coca-Cola Company shared the same sentiment.

“Sports partnerships like the one we have with FIFA are an important growth driver for our company, brands and global system, and the FIFA Club World Cup will be a significant moment to bring the world together through the power of sport," Ross said in a press release.

"Football fans are among the most passionate in the world, and we’re honoured to be part of these moments by refreshing fans and athletes with our portfolio of beverages and providing them with innovative experiences.”

Club World Cup faces backlash

The revamped tournament, which kicks off on 14 June, will feature 32 teams, including 12 from Europe, six from South America, four each from Africa and Asia, five from North America, and one from Oceania.

Despite securing a global broadcast deal with DAZN, the new format has drawn criticism from clubs and players, who argue that additional fixtures will further congest an already demanding football calendar.

Conclusion

The resolution of this dispute reinforces Coca-Cola’s long-standing association with FIFA and provides much-needed commercial support for the Club World Cup.

However, concerns over fixture congestion and the tournament’s commercial viability continue to pose challenges for FIFA’s latest project.

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In a landmark initiative for women's football, FIFA has unveiled an ambitious strategy aimed at reaching 60 million female players worldwide by 2027.

The comprehensive plan, supported by 13 distinct development programmes, is available to all 211 FIFA Member Associations, marking a significant step forward in the sport's global evolution.

FIFA also took the announcement to highlight the achievements for women’s football in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Oceanic Football Confederation (OFC).

The recently enhanced FIFA Women's Development Programme underscores the organisation's strengthened commitment to expanding the women's game.

The upcoming 2025 calendar promises several groundbreaking developments for women's football.

The Philippines will host the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup, while Morocco makes history as the first African nation to stage the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.

The latter tournament sees significant expansion, growing from 16 to 24 teams and shifting to an annual format.

International competition reaches new heights with continental championships scheduled across multiple confederations.

The pathway to the FIFA Women's World Cup Brazil 2027 commences with African qualification matches, while major regional tournaments including the UEFA Women's EURO and OFC Women's Nations Cup will crown new champions.

In a significant advancement for club football, all six confederations will host their respective continental club championships for the first time.

This renewed focus comes amid unprecedented growth in participation rates, particularly evident in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup co-host nations.

New Zealand has reported a remarkable 27 per cent surge in female participation since 2022, with particularly strong growth among Māori and Pasifika communities, showing a 14 per cent increase.

A strategic partnership between New Zealand Football and Māori Football Aotearoa further strengthens grassroots development.

New Zealand Football CEO Andrew Pragnell voiced the federations successful results.

"The expansion of football and futsal in Aotearoa New Zealand has been extraordinary, with the Women's World Cup serving as a genuine catalyst for growth," he explained via official FIFA press release.

Across the Tasman, Football Australia's Growing Football Fund Community Grants programme continues to foster development at the grassroots level.

The latest round of funding benefits 118 recipients, complementing the 121 projects supported in March 2024.

This initiative particularly emphasises regional development, with nearly half the grants allocated to areas outside major metropolitan centres.

The grants provide essential support for women's football development, encompassing coach education, introductory programmes, and vital equipment procurement, further cementing the sport's foundation at the community level.

Also within the AFC, footballing powerhouse Japan has successfully hosted the continent's first female-exclusive Pro Licence coaching course.

A collaborative effort between FIFA, AFC, and the Japan Football Association (JFA), represents a significant milestone in professional football development.

The intensive seven-day course attracted participants from fourteen nations, featuring presents such as AFC Technical Director Andy Roxburgh and Japan men's national team coach Hajime Moriyasu.

Participants gained valuable practical experience through observations of pre-season training sessions at both J.League and Nadeshiko League clubs.

JFA Technical Director Masanaga Kageyama emphasised the programme's strategic importance and inclusivity.

"This course is a joint AFC/JFA initiative to increase the number of top-level, professionally licensed female coaches in Asia. It aims to provide existing talents with additional advice to help them achieve greater success in their current coaching positions and secure future success," Kageyama explained via official FIFA press release.

This initiative aligns with JFA's renowned long-term development philosophy and a significant advancement in creating pathways for women in professional football coaching.

This newly improved strategy at the global scale will hopefully allow for more women in both professional and amateur spaces to get the opportunities they deserve in football.

It also highlight’s that AFC & OFC nations, including Australia, will have a strong place within the growth of women’s football.

Read more on the FIFA Women's Development Program here.

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FIFA celebrated Bahrain's successful FIFA Talent Academy under the FIFA Talent Development Scheme with a milestone ceremony in the country's capital, Manama, last week.

The event saw significant figures such as President of the Bahrain Football Association, His Excellency Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, and legendary former manager Arsene Wenger, the FIFA Chief of Global Football Development attend, highlighting a major moment in FIFA and Bahraini collaboration.

The event marks an inaugural celebration of the first of over 20 operational FIFA Talent Academies under the FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS).

Launched in February 2022, the TDS aims to bolster the footballing prowess of men's and women's national-team football across the globe by providing pathways for sustainable long-term development for member associations. Across its lifespan, the TDS has so far assisted more than 200 FIFA Member Associations, developing players in all corners of the world.

As the TDS continues to march on successfully, the scheme has a key focus to develop at least 75 FIFA Talent Academies around the world by 2027.

FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, expressed his admiration for the FIFA Talent Academies and Bahrain's work in a video message.

“Bahrain has been a pioneer in the FIFA Talent Development Scheme, and I want to thank you for your support. Together, we celebrate the great progress that has been made,” he said via press release.

“We are also aware that football has an important role to play beyond the pitch, so the FIFA Talent Academies will look to develop well-rounded individuals by instilling values such as discipline, teamwork and leadership through football in a safe environment. This will ensure that players not only excel on the pitch but also grow as responsible, contributing members of society.”

A core tenant of every FIFA Talent Development Academy is the responsibility to protect and educate players, allowing them to flourish in a safe environment.

FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, Arsène Wenger, spoke of the goals of the academies.

“The ultimate objectives of FIFA Talent Academies are to develop young players by providing them with the highest levels of training, education and development to help them reach their full potential, contributing to the overall growth of football in the country,” he said via press release.

FIFA will continue to investigate and develop ways to create sustainable long-term football systems to elevate player skill and the sport as a whole.

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British sports streaming mega platform, DAZN, has gained a free-to-view exclusivity deal with FIFA for the Club World Cup 2025.

The partnership will mean all 63 Club World Cup matches, featuring 32 of the world's best clubs, will be livestreamed free-to-view on DAZN's network. The deal also includes the option to sublicense to local free-to-air broadcasts.

The collaboration between FIFA and DAZN aims to make the game easily accessible to fans across the world, providing a significant boost to the launch of the new competition.

It is also a large next step for the burgeoning partnership of FIFA and DAZN. The two organisations have continued to grow more intertwined, with FIFA aiming to incorporate FIFA+ into the DAZN network.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino exclaimed his joy for the deal.

"I am delighted to announce that FIFA, in partnership with DAZN and FIFA+, will bring the best of club football for free to everywhere in the world, meaning that every single football fan across the globe can watch the best players from the 32 best clubs compete in the new FIFA Club World Cup to be the first official ‘FIFA Club World Champions'," he said in a press release.

DAZN Chief Executive Officer Shay Segev outlined the importance of the deal for DAZN.

“This groundbreaking deal with FIFA is a major milestone in DAZN’s journey to be the ultimate entertainment platform of choice for sports fans everywhere," he said via press release.

"We’re delighted to have the exclusive rights to this new chapter in global club football, marking the start of our long-term relationship with FIFA and cementing our status as the home of football.

"We’re committed to ensuring that every fan can watch every moment of the thrilling action from this new prime club tournament.”

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will kick off June 14, 2025, in Miami and finish July 13, in New York New Jersey.

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FIFA has confirmed Bank of America as the newest Official Partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. The agreement builds off of a deal from earlier this year, when Bank of America was confirmed as the Official Bank Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The declaration of partnership was made ahead of the official draw for the Club World Cup in Miami later this week.

The Club World Cup will welcome 32 of the best clubs from every confederation to the United States for the most expansive club tournament in history.

Club World Cup matches will be hosted across 11 American stadiums, allowing for Bank of America and FIFA to create positive influential economic and social impact to local communities.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino professed excitement for the upcoming collaboration.

"We are thrilled to have Bank of America on board for the inaugural 32-team FIFA Club World Cup," he said via press release.

"In recent months we’ve enjoyed detailed discussions with Bank of America’s leadership about FIFA’s mission both on and off the pitch, so we’re delighted that they’ve joined us on our journey to redefine global club football in addition to working side-by-side with us for FIFA World Cup 2026.

"As a global organisation with operations around the world and in every tournament host city, Bank of America is a perfect partner for this ground-breaking tournament.”

Bank of America’s Chair and CEO, Brian Moynihan, detailed the successful outcomes of the partnership. 

“This partnership with FIFA, for both World Cup 2026 and now Club World Cup 2025, sharpens our focus on deepening client relationships through the most iconic sporting events in the world, and generating lasting economic impact, globally and locally," he said in a press release.

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will kick off on in Miami June 15, and run until July 13, 2025, in New York New Jersey.

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FIFA has invested $76.7 million into the World Cup 2022 Legacy Fund, in collaboration with Qatar, the World Health Organisation (WHO), the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

Previously announced in November 2022, the fund will aid a number of social programs across the world.

To launch the Legacy Fund, the initiative was presented and signed on an online meeting.

Attendees included FIFA President Gianni Infantino, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WTO Director-General Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, and the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) Secretary General H.E. Hassan Al Thawadi.

The FIFA World Cup Legacy Fund will be deployed across the following streams:

Public Health/Occupational Health and Safety: The Legacy Fund will contribute to programs which aim to improve working conditions, and health and wellbeing. In particular, FIFA will support WHO's Beat the Heat initiative, to protect people from the hazards caused by extreme heat and the advance of climate change.

Education: In conjuncture with the WTO and International Trade Centre, FIFA will bolster the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy Fund, a program which seeks to empower female entrepreneurs. 

Refugees: In partnership with the UNHCR, FIFA will assist schemes which aim to strengthen vulnerable peoples' self-sufficiency and access to basic amenities.

Football development: FIFA will place greater emphasis on finding young talents across remote, marginalised and developing countries through the Aspire Academy and the FIFA Talent Development Scheme, headed by Arsène Wenger. 

FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed his pride for the Legacy Fund.

“The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Legacy Fund is a landmark project that builds on the unprecedented impact of the tournament from a sustainability point of view,” he said via press release.

“FIFA is taking the concept of a legacy fund to the next level in terms of reach and impact by tackling key priorities such as refugees, occupational health, education, and football development. I would like to thank the UN Refugee Agency, the World Health Organization and the World Trade Organization for their commitment to, and cooperation on, this historic initiative.”

WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, described the importance of the partnership.

“The worlds of sport and health must collaborate to create safe, clean and healthy environments for all people engaged in the preparation, delivery and legacy of mega sport events, including workers, athletes, spectators, and communities,” he said in a press release.

To learn more about the Legacy Fund, FIFA has launched a website.

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FIFA has confirmed a collaboration with US based gaming company, Mythical Games, to develop a new officially licensed mobile game - "FIFA Rivals".

Aiming for release in 2025, FIFA Rivals will be available on IOS and Android.

The game marks a significant move in FIFA's continual quest to expand and diversify its gaming and esports portfolio. Neglecting simulation-based gameplay in favour of fast paced arcade gameplay, FIFA Rivals is a departure from previous FIFA licensed games.

As an organisation with experience in mobile gaming, Mythical Games already operates a Rivals game in partnership with the NFL, with over five million downloads. The US company will now seek to grow its market in the footballing world.

Their latest offering, FIFA Rivals, will enable gamers to create, manage and develop their own in game football club. Players will also be able to create their own line-ups and enhance them via levelling up, to then play against other players.

FIFA Rivals will be a free to play game but will feature extensive in game microtransactions.

Operating off of the Mythos blockchain model, the game will include in-game and web marketplaces for players to buy, sell, trade and own in game versions of real-life football players.

FIFA Secretary, General Mattias Grafström spoke of the opportunities FIFA Rivals presented.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Mythical Games to launch FIFA Rivals, bringing football fans a mobile-first gaming experience that deepens their connection to the sport," he said in a press release.

"The game is an innovative and accessible addition to our expanding gaming and esports portfolio."

CEO and Founder of Mythical Games, John Linden outlined the goals of the collaboration.

"We’re excited to partner with FIFA and leverage our expertise to create an unparalleled football gaming experience," he said via press release.

“Our goal is to replicate our success with our previous Rivals game and set new benchmarks in the web3 gaming sector.

"The combination of officially licensed football stars (past and present), prestigious clubs from around the world and globally competitive esports gameplay will take sports gameplay to a new level.

"Through this long-term partnership with FIFA, there are major plans to integrate into the FIFA esports platform to give players in every country the ability to become a participant or fan.”

FIFA Rivals will launch worldwide in 2025, game updates are confirmed via FIFA Rivals' X account.

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Professional coaching has rapidly become increasingly intertwined with statistics to optimise maximum performance, driving the need for clubs to employ the latest data innovations to stay competitive.

Bepro is a football statistics and analysis company pushing the cutting edge of football technology, providing an all-in-one analytics platform for clubs across the world.

The company's headline product - the Cerberus - an AI powered camera, allows for an extraordinary level of football data analysis when combined with Bepro's software.

Founded in 2015, Bepro has a large reach across the world with offices in nine different countries and has served teams in the EPL, Serie A, LaLiga, Bundesliga, K-League, SPFL, and more.

Most recently, Bepro supported Spain's ascension to the 2024 European Championship.

However, Bepro also works with a range of amateur clubs, supporting over 2,400 teams across 50 nations.

The Cerberus Camera

The fundamental core of Bepro's philosophy is the use of video to provide context to statistics.

Bepro links all of its data work back to film recorded by either of its two FIFA grade cameras: the Fixed Camera System or the Cerberus.

Bepro's cameras utilise AI to power optical tracking technology, enabling the camera to follow the ball without a camera operator. This allows coaches to work with their team instead of being distracted by handling equipment.

Both camera systems feature real time processing, meaning coaches and analysts can instantly assess footage. To enhance this, Bepro cameras can be accessed from multiple devices, and via Bepro's mobile app.

Additionally, the cameras record in 4k panoramic video to capture more action in higher detail than regular cameras.

Bepro's video service also supplies a 3D video player, providing coaches a greater level of video analysis.

Although both camera systems incorporate many of the same features, the Cerberus has the key advantage of being portable.

While many would fear a portable camera could run out of charge, the Cerberus features batteries capable of four hours continuous filming. Batteries can then be swiftly changed to ensure clubs do not miss out on valuable footage.

Furthermore, the Cerberus is a resilient platform and can continue to film excellently in poor weather and lighting conditions.

Adding to the Cerberus' extremely versatility, it not only keenly tracks the ball, but can also film multiple perspectives at once. Through this, coaches can keep an eye on different angles of a training session or game.

Software and Data

Bepro offers three levels of software for clubs to use, ranging from a basic package for amateurs to highly sophisticated software for professionals.

When combined with Bepro's most expansive package, the Cerberus truly shines.

This package utilises the camera's optical tracking to gather extensive highly detailed positional and physical data of both teams, not always possible with GPS.

From 90 minutes of football, Bepro cameras can accumulate approximately three million data points, including statistics such as the distance ran, speed and sprint efforts of each individual player.

Through the package, clubs can create visualisations in their footage to showcase pressing patterns, passing triangles and more by spotlighting players or drawing lines and diagrams.

Coaches can then edit these video clips together and send them to players and staff to showcase areas for improvement or successful plays.

Conclusion

While new, the Cerberus has already made a significant impression on world football, becoming the first ever portable optical tracking camera to be certified by FIFA.

The camera passed its certification easily, illustrating its excellence by achieving "Well Above Industry Standard" in the majority of assessments, with no scores below "Above Industry Standard".

As Bepro continues to develop itself as one of the premiere football analysis organisations, revelations such as the Cerberus will drive the sport into the future.

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Over 100 professional women’s football players, including five Australians, have signed an open letter urging FIFA to drop its major sponsorship deal with Saudi Aramco, a state-owned oil conglomerate.

In the letter published on Monday, 106 players from 24 countries called on FIFA to reconsider its partnership with Aramco, citing concerns over human rights violations, the oil giant is 98.5% owned by Saudi Arabia.

Among the signatories are Matildas stars Aivi Luik and Alex Chidiac, alongside Australian players Isobel Dalton (Perth Glory), Emma Ilijoski (Canberra United), and Winonah Heatley (Nordsjaelland).

The letter highlights how LGBTQ+ players are being asked to promote a company from a country where same-sex relationships are criminalised and also expresses concerns about the oil giant’s role in contributing to climate change.

FIFA signed a four year worldwide partnership deal with Saudi Aramco back in April, which includes rights across multiple major tournaments, including the World Cup 2026 and the Women's World Cup 2027. It's also expected that Saudi Arabia will win the bid for the 2034 Men's World Cup, signalling no real change in FIFA's morals.

The letter highlights multiple human rights violations against women, including fitness instructor Manahel al-Otaibi sentenced to 11 years in prison under 'anti-terror' laws for promoting female empowerment on social media, the week after the partnership between FIFA and Aramco was confirmed.

The letter also asks FIFA three important questions:

1. How can FIFA justify this sponsorship given the human rights violations committed by the Saudi authorities?
2. How can FIFA defend this sponsorship given Saudi Aramco's significant responsibility for the climate crisis?
3. What is FIFA's response to our proposal of the establishment of a review committee with player representation?

However, FIFA have spoken to ABC Sport about this issue where they mentioned the deal was unlikely to be removed despite these recent events.

"FIFA is an inclusive organisation with many commercial partners also supporting other organisations in football and other sports," the organisation said in a statement to ABC Sport.

"Sponsorship revenues generated by FIFA are reinvested back into the game at all levels and investment in women's football continues to increase, including for the historic FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 and its groundbreaking new distribution model.

"As well as the increased support for teams at the tournament last year, FIFA's updated Women's Football Strategy for 2023-2027 further highlights how commercial revenues are reinvested back into the development of the women's game. FIFA's financial figures are also published annually."

This bold stand by the 106 players represents one of the most significant pushbacks women’s football has seen against a major sponsor. It's inspiring to witness how outspoken these athletes have been, despite the powerful influence of such a controversial partner.

Women’s football, which has long faced neglect and inadequate playing conditions, has steadily improved as the game has grown, but it’s clear these players are not just content with progress—they’re pushing for greater accountability.

The sponsorship with Aramco, in light of its links to human rights abuses and its environmental impact, feels like a direct affront to the principles these athletes uphold.

Whilst FIFA currently remain quite hesitant to change this fact, there is momentum growing behind this movement and it's the only way change will be brought to the game.

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At Lenovo’s annual Tech World innovation event, the technology giant was unveiled as the Official FIFA Technology Partner, FIFA’s highest sponsorship category.

This strategic partnership covers the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will take place in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, as well as the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 in Brazil.

Lenovo’s role as FIFA's technology partner will help enhance fan experiences, broadcasts, and football’s global reach by integrating cutting-edge technology across the tournaments.

With these two high-profile events serving as a global platform, Lenovo aims to strengthen its brand presence while contributing to the growth and accessibility of the sport worldwide.

Lenovo's technology portfolio, including innovations powered by artificial intelligence (AI), ThinkPad laptops, tablets, Motorola mobile phones, and servers, will play a key role in elevating the football experience.

These products and solutions will be used to power enhanced fan engagement in stadiums, improve global broadcasts, boost analytics, and democratise data for football-playing nations globally.

This collaboration is expected to have a far-reaching impact, as Lenovo and FIFA plan to leverage AI and other technologies to grow the game internationally and make football more accessible to a broader audience.

Lenovo Chairman and CEO Yuanqing Yang discussed the excitement of implementing their technology on the world football stage.

“As one of the world’s leading technology companies, we’re delighted to partner with the world’s most global and popular sport," Yang said at the event.

"Lenovo will be powering the largest sporting and entertainment events in human history – events with more viewers, more nations participating, and an unprecedented global demand for data processing and technology.

“Lenovo is proud to support FIFA’s vision of leveraging technology to elevate the game, enhance the fan experience worldwide, and foster innovation that levels the playing field.

"We’re excited that our cutting-edge technology and AI innovation will take centre stage in the upcoming tournaments, demonstrating to the world the transformative power of smarter technology.”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino spoke about the organisations view on utilising tech to improve fan experience.

“At FIFA, we are committed to growing the game globally and making football accessible for all – and we are excited to welcome Lenovo to our journey, and to work with them to implement technologies, innovations and programmes that spread our sport," Infantino said at the event.

"Data and technology combined helps us to know fans better, and we will use it to create unparalleled and unforgettable fan experiences at the FIFA World Cup 2026 and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027.

“In Lenovo, we have a partner who will support us as we evolve and innovate, investing in digital technology and artificial intelligence for future generations.”

The primary focus of this partnership is to transform the fan experience, both in stadiums and through broadcasts.

Lenovo's cutting-edge AI technology is just one of the many innovations that will be leveraged to explore new possibilities in the ever-evolving fan engagement landscape.

This collaboration presents a unique opportunity to redefine what the future of broadcasting and fan interaction could look like, offering exciting potential for the next generation of football viewing experiences.

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Players' union FIFPRO, along with top European leagues, have filed an official complaint against FIFA, accusing the organisation of creating an "abusive" international match calendar.

The complaint is primarily aimed at FIFA’s decision to expand both the FIFA Club World Cup and the FIFA World Cup, with the Club World Cup set to grow to 32 teams in 2025 and the World Cup expanding to 48 teams in 2026.

FIFPRO argues that the extended calendar violates European Union competition laws, compromises player safety and well-being, and describes FIFA’s actions as "abusive" and "unjustified."

In recent years, concerns over the oversaturated football schedule have become a frequent topic of discussion, with players and pundits alike raising the issue.

In total for the top five European leagues, 4,123 injuries were recorded during the 2023-24 season, costing clubs $1.19 billion, according to data published by global insurance intermediary group Howden. This was an all-time record and highlights this rather aggressive schedule that benefits no parties.

Prominent players such as Dani Carvajal, Thibaut Courtois, and Rodri have spoken out in recent months, voicing their frustration over the demands placed on players.

In July, the boards of FIFPRO and the European Leagues, which represent clubs across more than 30 countries in Europe, decided to take legal action.

FIFPRO Europe President David Terrier had strong words on the current situation and the board's plan of attack with this complaint.

"FIFA refuses to listen and engage with the players, the main labour resource of our industry, who are there on the pitch, creating a powerhouse of European and global entertainment culture, and pushing their bodies to the limit," he said to the media in a press conference.

"But we have listened to our players, have received the same messages for a long period of time, that they are playing too much and do not have enough time to recover. Ahead of the worst season ever for workload, many have also decided to talk in public with the same message: enough is enough."

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters also spoke briefly on this topic when asked about it earlier this month.

"It is getting to a tipping point. The feedback we have from players is that there is too much football being played and there is constant expansion," he said.

FIFA has yet to respond to the formal complaint, which has been lodged with the European Commission. Despite the mounting pressure, FIFA has consistently minimised concerns over player workloads, arguing that its new and expanded tournaments represent only a small fraction of the total matches played in a season.

The numbers, however, tell a different story. In the coming months, this issue is expected to play out both in court and in the media, with players intensifying pressure on FIFA. There has even been talk of potential protests or a strike during the season, a move that could severely damage football financially and as a product.

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FIFA has entered into a partnership with Konami to use its eFootball game for the FIFAe World Cup.

This collaboration will feature two tournaments, one for console and one for mobile, with participants from 18 nations competing for the title of FIFAe world champion.

This move is part of FIFA's strategy to maintain relevance in gaming and esports, particularly in engaging younger fans. FIFA has also expanded its esports portfolio with deals involving Rocket League and Football Manager.

The partnership fills the void left by EA Sports following their high-profile split with FIFA in 2022. Konami's eFootball, an evolution of the Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) series, is currently the only comparable game to EA Sports FC on the market.

FIFA’s Chief Business Officer, Romy Gai, has championed the new deal highlighting their excitement at the prospect.

"We are incredibly excited to join forces with Konami, this collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission to promote football globally and to provide a platform for players to showcase their skills."

Konami the Japanese gaming company, this partnership provides legitimacy and increased awareness for eFootball, which has struggled to compete with EA Sports in recent years.

The collaboration is seen as a necessary step for FIFA, given the lack of alternatives and the time it would take to develop a new soccer simulation game. It allows FIFA to continue its presence in soccer-based esports while exploring other gaming opportunities.

Esports has grown massively in viewership and investment over the last decades, it has become a major part of the franchising side of football.

Even in Australia the rise in Esports popularity has coincided with the rise in football popularity, one can not argue against their connection towards football popularity.

FIFA have shown that Esports has become an ever-present strategy in their development of the game. For investors and shareholders in football, Esports impact is something that should not be disregarded.

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Football Australia (FA) in collaboration with member federations will operate an academy program initiative to nurture youthful Australian talent.

The Football Australia Academy will start its maiden campaign in October 2024. It will collaborate and be subsidised with Football South Australia, Football Tasmania, Football Victoria, and Football West.

The program is a three-tiered system focusing on refining the technical skills, tactical understanding, and high-performance behaviours of promising young male and female players nationwide.

The academy will draw its talent pool from individuals identified through the FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS), a joint initiative between Football Australia and FIFA confirmed earlier this year.

Football Australia Chief Football Officer, Ernie Merrick, championed the initiative and its goals for player and coaching prospects.

“We’re delighted to be partnering with the pilot group of Member Federations to bring the Football Australia Academy to life, which marks a significant step forward in our efforts to create a clear pathway to our Subway Socceroos and CommBank Matildas for Australia’s best and brightest young footballers,” he said via press release.

The TDS will broaden the scope for discovering promising players by increasing scouting opportunities and establishing multiple talent 'capture' points throughout the country. By the end of 2024, the TDS aims to have provided up to 3,000 young players the opportunity to be identified from schools, local clubs, and elite programs nationwide.

At the heart of this program is the commitment to provide budding talents with access to highly skilled, qualified, and experienced coaches throughout their developmental journey. The FA collaborates with FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to elevate Australian coaching certifications to globally recognised standards.

This initiative marks a significant step forward in Australian football, promising to create a robust pipeline of skilled players and coaches that could elevate the nation's standing in the global football community.

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The Talent Development Scheme has shown major progress with the addition of 14 new talent coaches. This project was confirmed at the FIFA Football Summit in December 2023 aiming to have 75 elite academies across the world by the end of 2027.

By implementing these academies, this allows young players an opportunity to realise their potential and provide a pathway to the professional level, regardless of background and socio-economic status.

The Talent Development Scheme has already been rolled out in 176 FIFA member associations and leads of the program will assess the criteria that is needed to be fulfilled to put the initial phase of the project in place.

FIFA's Cheif of Global Football Development, Arsène Wenger, said the plan is gaining some momentum and has seen major strides in its development.

"It is moving football forward in every single country," he said in a media release on FIFA's website.

"Let’s not forget that the core of our thinking is to give every talent in the whole world a chance.

“I must say, when I look back to 2021, when we started to think 'What can we do for football in the world?' and where we are today, even I am quite surprised about how quickly it’s all gone – and, of course, it’s not enough; we always want to do more."

The next step of the Talent Development Scheme is to assign FIFA Talent coaches to each member association, where they will work with local stakeholders to create a domestic coaching network.

FIFA's Head of High Performance, Ulf Schott, discusses the plans of the next step in the scheme and how it should be implemented.

“We have conducted several webinars beforehand to talk about all of the organisational stuff, so that we can focus completely on what’s going on on the pitch this week," he said in a media release on FIFA's website.

"This is where our Talent Coaches should inspire, on the one hand the talent, and on the other hand other coaches too who are working with them, and should then [replicate] our idea, of what we want to achieve with an academy in a country.”

FIFA's latest plan can potentially provide many benefits when it comes to football in Australia, giving younger players a chance to develop in a way that prepares them for the professional game once they reach that stage.

Although still in its early stages, the Talent Development Scheme is showing significant progress with the recent addition of coaches to help make this project come to fruition.

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FIFPRO has recently released their annual Player Performance and Recovery report for 2024, this report is developed by FIFPRO IQ in conjunction with Football Benchmark, a leading data and analysis group on football business.

The report explains in detail the problems facing professional footballers by leaders within the industry and the players themselves. This report not only factors in the physical impact of the sport but also the psychological impact.

FIFPRO’s Player Workload Monitoring tool (PWM) the primary system behind this report monitors 1500 players spread across 100 leagues and 150 nationalities.

They have pointed out the obvious lack of appreciation by tournament organisers for the physical and mental well-being of football players and an evident lack of organised calendar planning.

Acting FIFPRO General Secretary Stephane Burchkalter stressed the importance of this report via press release:

“We release these reports for a good reason. Because, today, we face one of the most serious and urgent problems in our sport. A problem that results from the abuse of governance and a failure of the duty of care. The holistic workload that confronts our players is unprecedented. It has produced a physical and mental fatigue that is now dangerous.”

With increased match loads, travel loads and shortening of preparation the risks have never been higher with 54% of PMW players experiencing excessive or high-demand workloads.

88% of players' time is recorded to be spent in the workplace environment and 17% in national team environments.

The world-renowned Uruguayan coach Marco Bielsa stated via press release:

“To ignore the consequences of the number of games and amount of travelling will end in injuries for any player."

This report identifies that some players have seen their free time fall to nearly 12% of the calendar year, which adds up to less than a single day off per week. This fails to comply with international Occupational Safety and Health standards.

There have been calls for a guaranteed rest period which 72% of players and 78% of coaches support.

As the demand for games grows and the push for more revenue skyrockets, the players see their health and voices continue to deteriorate.

This report and FIFAPRO highlight the firm action that needs to happen to protect the stars of the sport.

For more information about the report, read more here.

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Football Australia has confirmed that Paramount Australia, the parent company of Network 10 and Paramount+, will be the official broadcaster for the CommBank Matildas and Subway Socceroos in Australia. This deal includes the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026™ hosted in Australia and the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™.

Over 100 international matches featuring the Matildas and Socceroos will be broadcast live, with at least 50 available on free-to-air TV.

Paramount has also secured exclusive rights to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027™, in a partnership with IMG.

The agreement extends through 2028, encompassing all CommBank Matildas and Subway Socceroos friendly matches, AFC tournaments, and Australia Cup Finals. This deal, specifically with ING, also consolidates broadcasting rights under a single platform, ensuring extensive coverage across 96% of Australian households.

With the CommBank Young Matildas opener in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Colombia 2024™ kicking off on September 1st, 2024, fans will immediately benefit from this deal.

James Johnson, CEO of Football Australia, remarked: “This landmark agreement with Paramount Australia is a pivotal moment for Australian football. It brings unprecedented exposure to our national teams and provides fans with unparalleled access to the CommBank Matildas and Subway Socceroos.

“Innovation is the cornerstone of our approach to sustaining and expanding the influence of Australian football. Reacquiring the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) National Team rights and securing the broadcast rights to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027™ are strategic moves designed to maximise control over our content, enhance fan accessibility, and unlock new revenue streams.

"These rights are integral to our strategy to secure a transformative broadcast deal that we anticipate will set new benchmarks in the valuation of football media rights in Australia. Bringing as much national team content as possible to a multi-platform partner was a key objective from a fan's perspective, and we are thrilled to achieve this.

"We look forward to our continued partnership with Paramount Australia, a relationship that has been pivotal in delivering high-quality football matches to our fans. This ongoing collaboration will be crucial as we navigate future opportunities and challenges in the dynamic media landscape.

"We also extend our gratitude to the IMG team for their invaluable support in navigating this complex negotiation with all parties involved and our friends at FIFA and AFC for their tremendous support and collaboration," concluded Mr. Johnson.

This agreement reinforces Paramount Australia's commitment to Australian football, which boasts the highest participation rate of club sport in the country and is the leading organized sport for children under 14.

With exclusive coverage of the A-Leagues, Paramount has been involved in Australian football for many years and continue to provide football fans with local broadcasts.

“Australian football fans are the winners here,” said Beverley McGarvey, President of Network 10 and Paramount Australia’s Head of Streaming and Regional Lead.

“Never before have fans had such incredible access to the sport they love, ranging from the A-Leagues all the way through to premium international games broadcast on one free-to-air network and one of Australia’s fastest-growing streaming platforms.

“Perhaps one of the most exciting aspects of the Paramount Australia agreement, which we see as an exciting extension of our coverage of the A-Leagues, is the opportunity for women’s football.

“All CommBank Matildas’ games at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 will be telecast by Network 10 on free-to-air television, as will all Matildas’ games in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026™,” Ms. McGarvey said.

Fans can access the broadcasts via Network 10 and/or Paramount+ subscriptions, exactly like the A-Leagues coverage.

Exclusive behind-the-scenes content, interactive fan engagement opportunities, and social media initiatives will be part of this comprehensive coverage.

The full list of rights included in the agreement are:

• AFC Asian Qualifiers (FIFA World Cup 2026™ Asian Qualifiers Final Round)
  5 Sep 24 - Australia v Bahrain on Network 10, 10 Play, and Paramount+.
  10 Sep 24 - Indonesia v Australia exclusive on Paramount+.
  10 Oct 24 - Australia v China PR on Network 10, 10 Play, and Paramount+.
  15 Oct 24 - Japan v Australia exclusive on Paramount+.
  14 Nov 24 - Australia v Saudi Arabia on Network 10, 10 Play, and Paramount+.
  19 Nov 24 - Bahrain v Australia exclusive on Paramount+.
  20 Mar 25 - Australia v Indonesia on Network 10, 10 Play, and Paramount+.
  25 Mar 25 - China PR v Australia exclusive on Paramount+.
  5 Jun 25 - Australia v Japan on Network 10, 10 Play, and Paramount+.
  10 Jun 25 - Saudi Arabia v Australia exclusive on Paramount+.
• FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027™ (15 matches on Network 10, all matches on Paramount+).
• AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026™ (six matches on Network 10, all matches on Paramount+).
• AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ (all matches exclusively on Paramount+).
• AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026™ and 2028™.
• All CommBank Matildas and Subway Socceroos International Friendlies 2025 to 2028 (15 CommBank Matildas Friendlies on Network 10, all matches on Paramount+ and 10 Subway Socceroos’ Friendlies on Network 10, all matches on Paramount+).
• Australia Cup Finals 2025 to 2028.

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Football Australia has partnered with the Australian Government to support the growth of elite football in the neighbouring Pacific nations.

Through the four-year investment deal delivered by PacificAus Sports, this new partnership will focus primarily on regular international competitions between Australian and Pacific Island international teams.

The outcomes of PacificAus Sports are complemented by the Australian Government’s Team Up program, which focuses on sport for development in the Pacific.

These competitions will include both men’s and women’s teams from all age groups.

The renewed partnership follows a number of successful initiatives involving Pacific nations, starting with the 2019 Pacific Tour to the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Tonga by Australia’s Junior Matildas, before expanding to include Australian age-group men’s and women’s national football teams.

Furthermore, this will include futsal national teams and competitions and allow for regular competitive games for pacific nations against upcoming and experienced Australian teams.

This partnership will also aim to deliver capacity building initiatives for the development of players, officials and administrators in the Pacific.

In conjunction with this, PacificAus Sports also partners with the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) to promote Pacific sport through ABC Television’s ‘That Pacific Sports Show’ and ABC Radio’s ‘Fresh Off the Field’.

Though Australia left the Oceania Football federation (OFC) for the Asian Federation in 2006, due to the geographical proximity of the pacific nations, Football Australia has always tried to maintain a strong and supportive relationship with its island neighbours.

Football Australia’s Chair Anter Issac commented:

“Australian football has many natural connections and intersections with the Pacific through a long-shared history of the game in this region. The surge in interest and inspiration for the game across the Pacific, particularly after our co-hosting of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand™, is undeniable,” he said via media release.

“Our relationship with the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) is a cornerstone of our regional strategy.

“The collaborative efforts between Football Australia and OFC and Member Associations across the region have been critical in strengthening our ties within the Pacific, allowing us to work together towards common objectives and ensuring the continued development of football in the region.”

Australia’s wealth and talent in football is a massive asset for its neighbours and one which they count on for a lot of support.

It will also help to try and bring connection and personal links with the sport and the local communities to help with the growing support of the sport in the region.

Additionally, there is opportunity for investors and sponsors to gain huge benefits form this partnership and its future.

For Australia, this initiative in supporting the Pacific Island’s football both helps develop Pacific footballing quality, and connects the entire region closer.

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FIFA has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to support the Homeless World Cup Foundation (HWCF) in supplying materials and streaming upcoming tournaments.

The HWCF organises the annual Homeless World Cup men's and women's tournaments aimed to support and inspire homeless people to change their lives through the world of football.

The tournament also tries to change people's perceptions and attitudes towards people who are experiencing homelessness and this year's edition will take place in Seoul, South Korea, which will be the first time the event will be hosted in Asia.

As part of the MoU, the HWCF and FIFA have agreed to broadcast the event jointly on FIFA's streaming service, FIFA+, while also providing equipment and materials for the tournament, including medals and trophies.

In addition, FIFA and HWCF will also be looking into co-branding opportunities, involving pitch-side content and using various social media platforms to endorse the tournament.

FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, expressed his excitement about teaming up with the HWCF and supporting the Homeless World Cup:

"I am delighted that FIFA will be supporting this wonderful tournament and to be partnering with the Homeless World Cup Foundation,” he said in a media release.

“The Homeless World Cup is a perfect example of how football can bring people together to challenge existing social perceptions and improve people’s lives.

"FIFA is excited to contribute, because we share the view of the Homeless World Cup Foundation that football is a force for good, and starting from the upcoming edition in Seoul, FIFA will contribute in ensuring that this tournament continues to make a real impact that supports homeless people all across the world," he said.

Homeless World Cup President, Mel Young, added about signing the agreement with FIFA:

"We are delighted to sign a partnership agreement today with FIFA which will greatly enhance the delivery of the Seoul 2024 Homeless World Cup," he said via a media release.

“The purpose of the Homeless World Cup is to use football as a way of ending homelessness and 1.2 million people have benefited from the initiative since it was born in 2003.

"Sport has real power, and we have proved that it can be a force for good. FIFA is committed to supporting those in need so a partnership between the Homeless World Cup and FIFA is natural. Longer term the impact will be very significant.”

Out of the 49 Homeless World Cup Member Countries, Australia will compete in the men's competition of the Homeless World Cup.

The "Street Socceroos" were formed by The Big Issue Australia, an independent, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting and creating work opportunities for people experiencing homelessness, marginalisation and disadvantage.

The team is selected through one of The Big Issue's initiatives called the Community Street Soccer Program which operates in 25 locations across the country.

Street Soccer promotes social inclusion and positive health outcomes for players while providing a safe and welcoming environment for those participating.

In 2008, the Homeless World Cup was hosted in Melbourne which brought more than 50 national teams for a week of competition and there are plans to bring the event back in 2026.

This year's Homeless World Cup will take place at Hanyang University in Seoul, South Korea, from the 21st to the 28th of September.

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FIFA is looking to raise up to $2.97 billion AUD in order to expand its streaming service FIFA+ by working with the Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS).

According to Bloomberg, Football's governing body is collaborating with UBS Group AG. A formal fundraising process is expected to commence in July, targeting mostly financial investors from the US and the Middle East.

Despite no comments from UBS and FIFA, deliberations are at an early stage with certain details such as timing and fundraising size could change with tFIFA preparing to offer a minority stake in FIFA+.

Launched in April 2022, FIFA+ is a free, ad-supported streaming service that planned to stream over 40,000 live games a year, with at least a quarter of them coming from women's matches. The streaming service also provided highlights, archive footage, documentaries, docuseries, talk shows and shorts.

Currently, FIFA+ has offered live streaming in smaller broadcasting markets where it was offered for free in countries where it didn't have the TV rights for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) streamed all of its competitions on the platform while also showing live coverage of the FIFA Club World Cup in some territories.

However, FIFA is currently struggling to find a major broadcaster for next year's FIFA Club World Cup which is set to be held in the U.S.

According to SportsPro Media, Apple reportedly offered FIFA $1.49 AUD for worldwide television rights for the tournament. But, this is much less than FIFA's intended $5.94 billion AUD.

It is still unclear how FIFA would use these potential funds to improve its current streaming service, but some potential ideas include technological development, marketing and direct rights acquisitions.

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FIFAe and Sports Interactive confirmed an exciting partnership that will see the first ever FIFAe World Cup of Football Manager take place for a prize pool of $149,718.

This is a one-of-a-kind event that will bring digital and traditional football together like never before, celebrating the best esports coaches from around the world.

In the first year of this partnership, chosen member associations will be invited to the final event. Invitations will be based on eligibility and the number of players from each country, ensuring a fair and representative competition worldwide.

The final event will take place from 29 August to 1 September with the location likely to be announced in the coming weeks.

Football Manager is the landmark digital coaching game that allows players to take control of all facets of the club of their choosing, from transfers to team selection to tactics.

The game has rapidly increased in popularity over time and boasted a record seven million players inside the first 100 days of Football Manager 2024's launch, after cracking a million streams for the first time in the 2021 edition.

However despite the games popularity, it doesn't have a robust esports ecosystem and lacks the one-on-one competitiveness of their online video game competitors like EAFC and eFootball.

Former Arsenal FC manager Arsene Wenger who is the Chief of Global Football Development at FIFA, has been appointed as the tournament’s ambassador.

Wenger explained the event and ramped up the excitement with a statement and an announcement video.

“I look forward to being part of this exciting new journey. This competition requires participants to demonstrate a profound understanding of football strategy and tactics. Success demands not only mastery of game mechanics but also in-depth football knowledge, making this format a fascinating blend,” Wenger said in a FIFA press release.

"At FIFA, we are dedicated to developing coaches and coaching techniques to give every talent a chance, so I look forward to seeing the best esports coaches from around the world compete at this event and contribute to the global advancement of football management and talent development.”

With more content on the way on the FIFAe social media channels, there is a real excitement about this groundbreaking event that combines one of the fastest growing football video games with a first-time competitive aspect, which will pit the world's finest gaming tacticians against each other.

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino has congratulated the 2024 graduates of the FIFA Diploma in Club Management course at FIFA headquarters, which include former Socceroo Tim Cahill and former Manchester City player Fernandinho.

Since its launch in 2021, the FIFA Diploma in Club Management has become a networking platform for senior club executives to share knowledge about the industry insights essential for successful football club management. The 18-month course is comprised of six-course models, each covering important topics and aspects of club management.

The topics which are covered in this course are leadership and management, sporting strategy and youth academies, marketing and communication, club operations and stadium management, governance and legal matters and finance.

Infantino spoke to the attendees of the graduation ceremony in Zurich, Switzerland:

"The course's aim was to encourage knowledge and best practice exchange to be able to ensure football's continued growth and health worldwide," he said in a statement.

"You understand that club football is crucial for the development and the survival of football in all countries of the world.

"That is what we have to foster and what we have to work on, and to do this, you have to be well-equipped and well-prepared, and this is our aim at FIFA: to give you this preparation, to give you this equipment, to open the doors of FIFA here in Zurich and everywhere in the world.

"Our doors are open for you to come and exchange with us, and also to exchange between yourselves."

The graduates of the second edition of the FIFA Diploma in Club Management started back in September 2022 in New York where they attended lectures given by the likes of FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger and FIFA Chief Women's Football Officer Sarai Berman and their final project of the course was a strategy plan which was presented before the graduation.

The third edition of the program began in May 2024 and is headed by FIFA Director of Professional Football Ornella Desirée Bellia. Some of the participants who are involved include former Juventus player Giorgio Chiellini and Como 1907 coach Cesc Fàbregas alongside club owners, CEO's and sporting directors.

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FIFA and the French Development Agency (Agence Française de Développement, AFD) have renewed their memorandum of understanding (MoU), focusing on women's empowerment and education through football.

Since the first agreement which was signed in 2019, FIFA and the AFD will continue to supply resources to promote unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values through youth-oriented football development programmes, especially in Africa. They will also work on projects involving the protection of children and the promotion of access to sport through the development of infrastructure.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino spoke about the renewed agreement:

"I am very happy that we will continue our strategic alliance with the Agence Française de Développement as it will play an important role in helping us use football as a platform for positive change in society- one of FIFA's strategic objectives," he said via media release.

"FIFA and the AFD have many shared aims and by working together, we can make a real difference in the lives of young people, empowering girls and women and helping to provide better education opportunities."

AFD Cheif Executive Officer Rémy Rioux added in a statement:

"This new partnership agreement with FIFA demonstrates our common desire to unite on the same team, the world football and that of financial development. Through its impact on education, health, social cohesion and gender equality, football is an accelerator in the field of sustainable development," he said.

"It opens a space where young people and communities are at the centre of the game to learn, express themselves, and emancipate themselves. By continuing this commitment, we are kicking off, through football, new educational and inclusive perspectives for all."

This continued partnership will allow improved collaboration between AFD's interventions and FIFA's programmes, such as FIFA Forward and Football for Schools, which aims to make football more accessible for everyone to play. It will also allow them to pursue their engagement in the inclusive sport academies project which supports the development of sport academies in Africa.

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Football Video Support (VS) has been introduced by FIFA as another means of technology to review decisions.

VS is a video review system by FIFA that is the answer to member associations that cannot implement the video-assistant-referee (VAR) system because their human and financial resources are limited and very few cameras are in use in their competitions.

There are cameras set up around the pitch, either human-operated or automated that are used by referees to make decisions after a coach reviews the play.

FIFA are currently trialling VS with a goal to explore new and existing technologies to positively impact the game, especially in order to help referees to make correct decisions, while ensuring that their potential use is cost-effective, beneficial and practical across the global football community.

How does VS work?

1. Football Video Support (VS) is a video review system introduced by FIFA as a solution for member associations that are unable to implement the video assistant referee (VAR) system.
   a. Goal/no goal
   b. Penalty/no penalty
   c. Direct red cards (not second cautions)
   d. Mistaken identity (when the referee cautions or sends off the wrong player of the offending team)
2. VS can be utilized only after the referee has made a decision (including waving play on as a decision) and a team has subsequently requested a review.
3. Only the team’s head coach (or, in their absence, the senior team official in the technical area) can request a review. This request must be made immediately after the incident by twirling their finger in the air and handing a review request card to the fourth official. However, each player has the right to ask their head coach to initiate a review request.
4. The fourth official will inform the referee of the review request and, if play has stopped (and not restarted) since the incident, the referee will go to the referee review area (RRA) to review the replay footage. If play has continued since the incident, the referee will stop play when the ball is in a neutral zone and go to the RRA to review the replay footage.
5. During the review, the referee will be assisted by a review operator, who will show replay footage on the monitor (e.g. different camera angles, split screen, different replay speeds, etc.).
6. The original decision taken by the referee will not be changed unless the video replay footage shows clear evidence that the decision was a clear and obvious error or that there has been a serious missed incident. As the VS system involves a small number of cameras, the replay footage will often be inconclusive and thus the original decision may not be changed.
7. The review request must be made immediately to:

- conform to the Laws of the Game requirement that a decision cannot be changed once play has restarted after a stoppage; and

- prevent unnecessary delays to the game while the team’s head coach (or, in their absence, the senior team official present in the technical area) considers whether to make a review request.

8. After a goal is scored, the fourth official will review the footage on the monitor and inform the referee if a clear and obvious offense was committed by the attacking team. Unless the decision involves factual matters, the referee will then review the incident and make the final decision.

During the trial phase, it is expected that each team will be able to make two requests per match. If the review by the referee results in the original decision being changed, the team retains (does not lose) that review request.

The technology is not going to replace VAR, it is just going to be used as a cheaper alternative in leagues and associations that lack the current VAR technology to ensure fairness and accuracy across all levels of professional football.

FIFA state that there is no specific timeline, and no decision has been made on when the implementation will take place.

They are currently at the trial stage and after assessing the outcome of the trial will talk with the relevant stakeholders in order to decide on the next steps, including potential additional trials by FIFA and other governing bodies.

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The Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) have officially confirmed a partnership formulated with American sport apparel juggernaut Nike.

The agreement arrives in a timely manner for the international side, given their decision go unbranded after their Puma sponsorship had culminated in 2023.

Nike become the ninth kit manufacturer held by La Celeste Senior men’s national team throughout their history. Initially, their first ever kit sponsor was with Nike’s primary rivals Adidas with the partnership beginning in 1972 and ending in 1983.

Since their 8 year relationship with Adidas, the national side where constant in changing their kit manufacturer. With manufacturers changing hands 6 times in the span of 24 years, it was until 2003 where Puma had become primary endorsers.

The endorsement of Puma lasted from 2006 until 2023. The leaping Puma Cat logo shared a fruitful tenure with Uruguay, experiencing a fourth place finish at the 2010 South Africa world cup campaign, in which was riddled with nostalgia and controversy from La Celeste.

The mind shifts back to when a 31 year old Diego Forlan showed the footballing world on the grandest stage, his immense quality. Storming home with the Golden Ball, Goal of the Tournament and joint top scorer of the competition.

Beyond the 2010 campaign, Uruguay would go on to qualify for the next three editions beyond their best finish since 1970. They were also in collaboration when Uruguay lifted the Copa America in 2011, a mere 16 years since their last victory.

Founded in 1964, Nike is the benchmark in athletic apparel and footwear. Most of the world’s greatest athletes across multiple sporting codes are endorsed by Nike, including the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James and Tiger Woods.

Nike have been busy with their national team acquisitions, The German Football Association (DFB) where another powerhouse international outfit accumulated by the American brand, with the partnership commencing in 2027.

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FIFA has released their '2023 Financials in Review' statement which highlights the incredible financial and cultural impact of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup heavily contributed to FIFA's television broadcasting success with the body's revenue total reaching AU$408.4 mil. The coverage was exceptional with the tournament being shown in over 200 territories by 130 broadcasters and in all other markets thanks to the FIFA+ platform. In order to provide for the ever-growing popularity of the women’s game, FIFA has adapted its media rights sales strategy by taking a more comprehensive and detailed approach to the market.

The skyrocketing television audiences have been replicated on FIFA’s digital platforms. Traffic in the tournament surpassed the entirety of the 2019 tournament within 12 days, welcoming 22 million unique users, with an average of 2.4 million users visiting FIFA Women’s World Cup channels daily.

The biggest source of income was the sale of marketing rights from commercial partnerships, which delivered AU$697 million, more than 101% over budget. FIFA successfully renewed record long-term partnerships with Hyundai/Kia, Qatar Airways and Visa to cover the Women’s World Cup and 2026 Men's World Cup. A total of 30 sponsors signed up for the 2023 Women’s World Cup, up from 22 in the 2019 edition and they were duly rewarded for that.

Hospitality rights and ticketing sales for the FIFA Women’s World Cup amounted to AU$65.7 million, another record that the tournament smashed.

FIFA benefited from a strong demand for ticket and hospitality packages for this unique tournament, which also set a new Women’s World Cup record with nearly two million tickets sold, smashing their target of 1.5 million that was set in 2019 after the previous edition.

The average attendance rate across the tournament’s 64 matches was 87% with the highest crowd being 75,784 fans packed into a sold-out Stadium Australia to watch the Spain-England final.

Football Australia and the subsequent State federations all have the same focus in terms of making sure they successfully leverage the home World Cup and surpass their KPI's.

In Football Australia's One Football Framework, it states that they want to 'reshape the game for Women and Girls' which will start by aligning their digital and data strategies to be more focused on women which is similar to FIFA's successful approach.

Recently the 'Play our way' program shows the government's commitment with them providing $200 million in grants to improve sporting facilities for women and girls around Australia in the hopes to create a solid base for future growth.

The Legacy '23 investments into Football that will amount to AU$296 million, will be key in maintaining growth and talent development as the A-Leagues sort out issues with professionalism and club finances that are affecting both the Men's and Women's game.

The success of the recent u20's Young Matildas Asian Cup can't be underestimated either in terms of the bright future this country is showing. A third place finish and bronze medal was the best ever finish from a Young Matildas side in the competition, with the squad featuring four players under the age of 18, one of the youngest in the competition.

These statistics by FIFA show that women’s football is experiencing a surge of interest and recognition, and the framework set out by Football Australia can ensure that is success is sustained long-term and positively affects participation at grassroots level.

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SBS have announced that they will exclusively broadcast the 2026 FIFA World Cup to Australian audiences, making the broadcaster the home of football for 40 years.

The deal means that SBS will broadcast all of the 104 games of the 2026 World Cup live across its SBS and SBS Viceland channels, and its SBS On Demand streaming platform.

SBS broadcast its first FIFA World Cup in 1986, when Mexico hosted the tournament and has become a major driver of revenue for the multicultural broadcaster, which is partly funded by advertising.

SBS Managing Director James Taylor explained how SBS were the perfect broadcaster for the world's game.

"Football is in the DNA of SBS. We could not be more thrilled to announce that we will broadcast the 2026 tournament from North America, which will have more teams, more matches and draw more eyeballs than ever before," he said via media release.

"We are bringing every match, live, free and exclusively in searing high definition."

As for what's further ahead on the horizon, it was also recently confirmed that Football Australia would not be putting in a formal bid for the 2034 FIFA Men's World Cup, with Saudi Arabia becoming the only eligible bidder by the time the Wednesday morning deadline arrived.

It's for sure a bitter blow for a country that showed the world that they are capable of holding a successful international football tournament, with the 2023 Women's World Cup breaking attendance records and ticket sales exceeding the 1.8 million mark, another record that was smashed - football is well and truly growing in Australia.

However, this move by SBS to secure full broadcasting rights ensures football fans in Australia can continue to watch every World Cup game in an era where streaming services like Paramount+ and Optus Sport have handled many of the big domestic and international league and cup matches behind a subscription.

The broadcaster's formula of providing full matches along with “mini match” and short highlights via SBS On Demand and the SBS sport YouTube channel helped drive millions of views and gave the fans a good amount of digital content to consume.

This broadcast deal is fantastic news for all Australian football fans who will benefit from not being restricted on watching the biggest sporting tournament on the planet in 2026.

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Leading food and beverage companies Pepsi, Gatorade, and Lay's will work with EA Sports as part of a strategic partnership to deliver entertainment experiences centred around the new EA Sports FC game.

PepsiCo will advocate and support EA Sports FC through this collaboration, which results from a shared desire to influence the future of football fandom. The strategic partnership will enable both parties to work together to develop video games that delight today's football fans. It also allows PepsiCo to build on its long history in the football entertainment industry and further its overarching business strategy to create fun fan experiences that combine gaming, music, and football.

Global ambassadors from PepsiCo's talented football roster, including Leah Williamson (England and Arsenal) and Vini Jr (Brazil and Real Madrid), will appear in upcoming activations, such as entertainment crossovers, in-game integrations, and on-pack promotions that will give fans access to privileged experiences and essential in-game rewards. Additionally, the collaboration on current PepsiCo efforts, which promote football participation and gender equality in the game, will be facilitated by the alliance.

EA Sports FC is one of the most popular game franchises in the world, which was recently tied with FIFA before dropping the partnership.

Through PepsiCo, EA Sports will continue to bring unmatched experiences for gamers.

Head of Global Sports and Partnerships at PepsiCo, Adam Warner stated via press release:

"EA SPORTS is an iconic brand in the realm of football and has revolutionized fan engagement. With PepsiCo's history and extensive involvement in football and entertainment, our brands are uniquely positioned to push the boundaries of football fandom. This partnership enables us to reach football fans and communities worldwide, and to provide them with experiences that elevate their connection to the beautiful game.”

Vice President of Brand at EA Sports FC, David Jackson added via press release:

"For years, PepsiCo's brands have been delivering memorable moments for football fans, and we're energised to incorporate that rich heritage into our own experiences as we set forth on this remarkable journey with EA Sports FC. We're proud to partner with PepsiCo to create more unmissable experiences that will undoubtedly captivate fans of the World's Game.”

The EAFC game will release and be available to play from September 29.

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The FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 has come to a conclusion, with the Matildas doing Australia proud by reaching the semi-final of the tournament - while receiving record breaking support from the nation.

Nearly two million viewers watched the Matildas' historic television record-breaking opener of their much awaited FIFA Women's World Cup campaign.

An average of 1.93 million people watched the joint host team's opening match of the tournament on Seven and its online streaming service 7Plus, despite the surprising absence of famous skipper Sam Kerr. While the third place match against Sweden saw 6.25 million viewers tune in.

The team would re-write history in their semi-final match against England, becoming the most watched Television program in Australian history. The game reached 11.15 million Australians nationally, and had an average audience of 7.13 million according to Channel Seven.

Channel Seven’s head of network sport Lewis Martin, said via press release:

“The Matildas performance captured the Australian spirit like nothing we have seen in decades, Australia was captivated last night as the Matildas played their hearts out and did us all proud. The Matildas have rewritten the history books.”

On the back of the astonishing numbers and support the Matildas received, Australia are in a strong position to bid on hosting the 2034 FIFA Men's World Cup, as Football Australia CEO James Johnson stated that it 'would be discussed with New Zealand after the Women’s World Cup'.

As FIFA boss Gianni Infantino labelled it 'the greatest Women’s World Cup ever' - after a total attendance of 1,978,274 spectators - one could only imagine the support and views the event would bring on home soil supporting the Socceroos.

The 2026 World Cup is set to be hosted in North America across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with an expanded format of 48 teams. As the World Cup grows from 32 teams to 48, there will be 16 stadiums in 16 cities and 104 matches instead of 64.

Australia would be in a promising position to host the number of countries participating in the new World Cup format as the country has several world class stadiums across the nation, including the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) which would be a perfect venue for the final, holding a capacity of 100,000.

Australia must use the momentum of the Women’s World Cup to propose a serious bid to host in 2034.

Full statistics on FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 can be found here.

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Last Thursday, Football Australia honoured the end of an extraordinary group stage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023, having established a level of excellence in setting new standards and displaying the organisation’s pivotal role in co-hosting a significant event and strengthen women’s football in Australia and beyond.

The outstanding success of the World Cup up to this point is further evidence for the well-thought-out projects handled by Football Australia to magnify the brand of the CommBank Matildas, by elevating them to an equal status with the Subway Socceroos.

Some of the highlights that have stood out in the group stage of the tournament observed record-breaking numbers such as fan's attendance at games in extraordinary numbers with over 1.7 million ticket sales.

In terms of broadcast, the Seven network announced their coverage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 had got up to 8.02 million viewers plus 1.14 million on their streaming platform, as well as the victory for the Matildas over Canada in the last group stage game was the most watched program on the Seven network with a reach of over 5.32 million.

Football Australia CEO James Johnson stated via press release:

“This FIFA Women’s World Cup has been a milestone for Football Australia and for women's football in our country, the success of the tournament so far shines a spotlight on the transformative power of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and football’s ability to unite and inspire beyond borders,” he said.

“This is why we have invested in women’s football and made a firm commitment to support and promote the women’s game by bringing the FIFA Women’s World Cup to Australia, we are overwhelmed with the profound impact of the tournament so far.”

After an impressive victory against Denmark in the Round of 16, the next Matildas game will be in the quarterfinals against France on Saturday at 5pm at Suncorp Stadium.

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Hyundai Motor Group affiliates Hyundai and Kia have jointly announced the renewal of their long term partnerships with FIFA until 2030.

This joint partnership has a lot of history behind it, with Hyundai beginning its alliance with FIFA in 1999 before Kia first began its football sponsorship activities in 2006 for the Germany World Cup. In 2010, Hyundai/Kia signed a long-term agreement to continue the partnership until 2022.

The renewals will cover a wide range of FIFA's most prestigious competitions, including the eagerly anticipated FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ and FIFA World Cup 2026™.

Hyundai and Kia have provided long-term transportation and financial support for FIFA, and both companies have expressed the importance on having an emphasis on the growth and development of the women’s game with the FIFA Women’s World Cup around the corner.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino was present at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland to celebrate the occasion with a long-term partner.

“We’re thrilled to continue our long standing partnerships with Hyundai and Kia. Over the years, they have consistently demonstrated their commitment to supporting FIFA, and we value their dedication to enhancing the overall experience at our tournaments,” said the FIFA President.

“As we enter this new era together, we’re excited about the prospects that lie ahead with the addition of Boston Dynamics and Supernal. Together, we’ll continue to work on uniting the world through football.”

Karl Kim, the President of Hyundai Motor Group, added to Infantino's comments on behalf of his company.

“On behalf of Hyundai Motor Group, we’re honoured to extend our partnerships with FIFA, reinforcing our long standing commitment to the world of football,” commented the President of Hyundai Motor Group.

“As we embark on this renewed collaboration, we look forward to showcasing the capabilities of our mobility solutions and partner brands on a global scale. Together with FIFA, we aim to inspire and unite fans around the world through the power of football.”

On the Hyundai website, the group extensively talks about its connection with the sport of Football.

"Football partnerships are a fundamental pillar of Hyundai/Kia’s global marketing strategy that provide compelling opportunities to build an emotional connection with customers by sharing in their passion for football." it reads.

Ground transportation is critical to the successful staging of an international event like the FIFA World Cup. Having proven itself as a dependable vehicle supplier for a number of FIFA competitions from 2006 to 2018, it’s a perfect partner to ensure transportation of teams and staff runs smoothy for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup that starts on July 20.

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With just over two weeks remaining until the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023, the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge on Gadigal land was transformed into a celebration of culture by bringing the football community together to mark down the countdown for the tournament.

Being the co-host of this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, the tournament will be the biggest sporting event put before the public in Australia since the 2000 Sydney Olympic and the governing body of the sport will be the host Member Association of the biggest sporting event which has grasped the attention of the country in a football frenzy.

Football Australia was united by representatives from FIFA, New South Wales Government, former players, CommBank Young Matildas, grassroots football communities, and many more.

Football Australia CEO James Johnson said in a statement:

“In 25-days, we will be cheering on the CommBank Matildas when they take on the Republic of Ireland at Stadium Australia in front of an expected sell-out crowd.

“This is a golden window for Australian football where from 20 July to 20 August, the country will experience a festival of football like never before, we are ready to welcome the world and cannot wait for the tournament to kick-off.”

FIFA Council Member Johanna Wood added via press release:

“What a fabulous morning of football, culture and community coming together. We are committed to delivering an exceptional tournament and experience that will not only captivate the hearts and minds of football fans but also empower women in sport across the globe.

“We are ready to go Beyond Greatness and football, once again, has demonstrated how it unites the world.”

The much-anticipated tournament will commence on July 20 and conclude in August 20 across five Australian cities involve Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth as well as four New Zealand cities which are Auckland, Hamilton, Dunedin and Wellington.

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Robert Aughey, a researcher and professor from Victoria University, has collaborated with FIFA for several years on leading-edge football technologies.

Late last year, Victoria University was confirmed as the first university in the world to be an official FIFA Research Institute, focussed on football technologies.

Among those innovations, Aughey (pictured at Sevilla FC) has collaborated on video-assistant refereeing (VAR), semi-automated offside technology and an inertial sensor that collects spatial positioning data in real-time that have played a major role in the World Cup in Qatar.

Aughey discusses how the newest and improved innovations introduced to the world game can be implemented for decision-making in the finest of margins, making it much easier and quicker. He spoke exclusively to Soccerscene regarding where the technology is sitting, how it works and what to expect.

Are there technologies planned for the following years to come in football? If so, what sort of technologies can we expect to see?

Robert Aughey: I’m not sure that there’s things specifically planned necessarily but l know that the manufacturers of current technology are always improving their products, so the semi-automated offside technology for example tracks a certain number of parts of the body using an optical tracking system and l know they are looking to greatly expand the number of parts of the body that are tracked so that will further increase the accuracy of it.

Can you briefly explain how the different technologies work?

Robert Aughey: There are a number of technologies - in the ball for example at the World Cup, they have what are called inertial sensors and it can basically measure the amount of force applied to the ball, which can be from the foot kicking it or the ball hitting the ground - or the ball not hitting Ronaldo’s head in the case of the World Cup recently. They also have gyroscopes in the ball which can measure spin rate on the ball which is something that hasn’t really come into broadcast yet, but l think it will come in soon.

The actual tracking of athletes and the determination of offside using the semi-automated offside technology that uses a number of cameras that are installed in the stadium are pretty impressive computer vision technology, to take those images and turn them into the effective location of the different parts of the body on the pitch and they do that around 50 times per second.

What has been the reaction to the different technologies that have been implemented?

Robert Aughey: I think it has been overwhelmingly positive. As the technology improves further and likewise the speed of decision-making, that it will be an accepted part of the game very quickly, like hawk-eye is in tennis of the Australian Open or LBW decision-making in cricket - it will just be a normal part of the game.

How did ball sensors identify that a goal first attributed to Cristiano Ronaldo was in fact scored by a teammate?

Robert Aughey: Because they measure the force applied to the ball, so the sensor in the middle of the ball reacts when force is applied to it and it was clearly evident in the data that there was no force applied by Ronaldo’s head, so clearly he didn’t touch it.

Why was the Japan goal allowed to stand against Spain despite video-assistant refereeing (VAR) ruling it had not crossed the line?

Robert Aughey: The goal was allowed to stand because the ball did not fully leave the field of play. The goal line camera which is used for the goal line technology clearly showed the part of the ball was still within the field of play and not fully outside the field, so the correct decision was made in the end.

How does the ball work together with cameras to determine offsides?

Robert Aughey: The thing you obviously need with offsides is that you need to know exactly when the ball was kicked. The cameras take 50 images per second but the ball is sampling information at 500 times per second so you get a much more precise timing of when the ball was actually kicked, so that the two data sets are synchronised and you can then determine offside from there.

Any chance these technologies can be wrong?

Robert Aughey: Not wrong as such, as there’s levels of precision in any measurement system including referees, so we know how accurate the systems are and if they are used within the decision-making, they can’t be wrong as such. They could fail in theory in the sense that you could fail to have the technology available, but if that were to happen then the referee just does his or her job and we move on as if the technology wasn’t there.

Victoria University has released a video on some of the technology in action, which was conducted at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium. You can view the vision and more words from Robert Aughey here.

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The international governing body of association football, FIFA, set in motion its digital skills in an educational program planned to enhance the expertise of professionals in the worldwide football community.

It focuses on all things digital, through an exclusive e-learning platform and a sequence of live masterclasses.

With the emergence of technologies which results in the administrative and business activities continuing to elevate, the program will be a crucial resource for member associations seeking to sharpen their expertise in many areas.

The 211 FIFA member associations now have the ability to present from some of the world’s biggest and most innovative brands, with the platform’s peer-to-peer learning task, users can also host customised sessions focused on their own experience.

FIFA Chief Member Association Officer Kenny Jean-Marie said via press release:

“As the world changes around us, we need to invest in people so that they are better placed to embrace the future, we are proud to launch a platform that will be a one-stop resource for member associations, allowing them to access valuable information and encourage learning as part of the football community in the area of digital.”

FIFA Director of Strategy, Digital and FIFA+ Charlotte Burr added via press release:

“The FIFA Digital Skills initiative is powered by FIFA+, our world-class digital destination for football fandom, we already have nearly 100 MAs on board and more than 400 participants learning and sharing their experiences, and we want to continue to use FIFA+ as a platform to give the entire world of football a voice, telling their stories and bringing their beautiful game to light. The FIFA Digital Skills initiative will provide best practices from experts and organisations for the 211 MAs to develop their digital capabilities to appeal to future fans and, ultimately, grow football for all.”

FIFA Digital Skills education program includes 360-degree digital skills, teaching the users the basic fundamentals of digital marketing and how to create a corporate strategy to further the users member associations.

It also has the best teachers in the business - from football stakeholders to the brands driving the digital revolution, as well as a knowledge hub for professionals across the international football community to guide and provide assistance to make the game more popular and engaging for the future.

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The FIFA Master Alumni International Sports Conference was hosted in Doha, bringing together over 40 alumni who are involved in a variety of areas for the World Cup in Qatar, making a key contribution to the tournament.

The FIFA Master graduate program in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport has been developing all-round managers who can deal effectively with the ever-increasing complexities in the world of sport.

Organised by the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) collaborating with three different universities in Europe which are De Montfort University in Leicester (England), SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan (Italy) and the University of Neuchatel (Switzerland), the FIFA Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport was established for the reason in order to promote management education within the sports world.

The program takes individuals on a unique journey through the aforementioned distinguished universities throughout the European countries to study sport.

It offers an excellent opportunity to converse and engage with around 25 different backgrounds in a class of roughly 30 postgraduates that are chosen each year to provide them with the opportunity to learn a wide variety of subjectsl as well as developing their analytical skills to better adapt with the fast-changing aspects in the sport industry.

FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura (pictured) said at the conference:

“Holding this conference also during the FIFA World Cup facilitates the sharing of best practices and thoughts on topics such as event hosting, long-term impact sustainability, sports leadership, commercial partnerships and the growth of women’s football. Over 40 of them have been directly working on the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, with FIFA, Q22, the teams/PMAs and other service providers.”

Another beneficial aspect of the program is that it offers a chance to network with top executives from high-level international sports federations, clubs, agencies and also organising committees which is a huge factor in building their contacts - a major component to a successful career in sport.

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“The Football Coaching Life” host and Football Coaches Australia Executive Committee member Gary Cole caught up with Mike Conway, Emotional Agility and Mind Coach for the AUS vs Tunisia pre- match podcast. This is the 2nd of a limited and exclusive series of podcasts not to be missed.

Head to FCA XV College HERE to tune in.

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The future of Asian football is set to be lit up in success and betterment with Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, along with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, joining forces in a project of a new AFC Stadium.

The modern stadium will be built approximately 30km from the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The AFC Stadium in Putrajaya is the federal administrative capital of Malaysia, which will be built on an area that spans 15.43 acres, featuring a grandstand, spectators boulevard and atrium, with administrative offices and an underground carpark.

The state of the art football boutique stadium will be financially backed by FIFA Forward programme and will further increase the AFC’s ambitious vision and mission to support its Member Associations (MAs) and Regional Associations (RAs) with immense effectiveness, also the Football Association of Malaysia and the Malaysian Government will be providing logistical assistance for the design of the enterprise.

Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said via a statement:

“The AFC House has been the focal point of football development through numerous courses, workshops and seminars in the areas of Technical and Refereeing and now with this new AFC Stadium, we have the potential to do so much more.”

Gianni Infantino said via a statement:

“It is a great project, and l am really proud and happy that we are teaming up through this AFC and FIFA stadium which can mark a new step in the whole very important part of the Asian region.”

The area of the stadium floor is round about 580,000 square feet with a capacity of 10,000 and features a high-ranking quality FIFA football pitch, amongst others it will include key characteristics such as a leading-edge media tribune, a room specific for commentators and a vibrant water feature to be created at the entrance of the stadium.

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EA Sports, the leader that develops and publishes sports video games, has signed a multi-year deal to partner with UEFA Women’s Football. It means that the UEFA Women’s Champions League will now feature in the new FIFA 23 in early 2023.

EA Sports will be backing the marketing platform for UEFA’s football program, Together #WePlayStrong which is aimed at influencing into getting more girls and women to play the sport.

The way that EA Sports hope to convince more young females to play football is by the beginning of 2023, it will provide finance for a women’s football internship program with current and new women’s league partner, specifically mapped out to inspire and present confidence for girls from varying backgrounds to participate in the world of football.

FIFA 23 users will have the option early next year to play with clubs including Real Madrid Femenino, Chelsea Women, and Paris Saint-Germain Feminine just to name a few.

UEFA’s Chief of Women’s Football Nadine Kessler said via press release:

“We are delighted that EA Sports has chosen to become a UEFA Women’s Football partner and we are looking forward to working closely over the coming years as they share our ambition to make the women’s game even stronger and take it to new heights.”

SVP Brand EA Sports Andrea Hopelain added via press release:

“EA Sports is at the epicentre of global football fandom and this partnership reinforces our dedication to showcase top talent from across the globe, our unrivalled authenticity, and our commitment to be change-makers of the future of the sport.”

EA Sports presented the ‘Starting XI Fund which is an Accelerator Fund for Women’s Football that is made for the development of the game moving forward. To fast forward the fund, EA Sports has pledged $11 million into a project that will be assimilated for in-game, leagues, clubs and funding for the players to carry on raising the standards for women’s football.

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With the Subway Socceroos competing at the men’s World Cup in under a month and the CommBank Matildas poised to co-host a Women’s World Cup in mid-2023, Football Australia and FIFA have teamed up to uncover the next generation of local youth talent.

A visit from FIFA’s High Performance Department to Australia last week reaffirmed Football Australia’s emphasis on unearthing and producing future Matildas and Socceroos players.

FIFA High Performance Specialist April Hendrichs and FIFA High Performance Specialist Richard Allen spent a week in Sydney with members of Football Australia’s Technical Department to discuss FIFA’s Talent Development Scheme (TDS), their assessment of Football Australia’s Ecosystem and Performance Gap Report as produced by FIFA’s High Performance Department, and evaluate Football Australia’s own TDS strategy prior to its implementation next year.

The TDS aims to create a sustainable legacy for long-term talent development by maximising each Member Association’s opportunities and address the unique barriers and challenges to talent identification by respective Member Associations.

Speaking on Football Australia proposed TDS Strategy, Football Australia Chief Football Officer Ernie Merrick said via press release:

“Through our Talent Development Scheme we want to ensure we are giving every talent a chance to be identified and reach their potential irrespective of their circumstance, which will ultimately develop more CommBank Matildas and Subway Socceroos in the next five to ten years,” Merrick stated.

“To achieve this, Football Australia aims to solve challenges as identified in the FIFA Ecosystem and Performance Gap Report by creating monitoring lists and depth charts of more players aged 15 – 20 years in both men’s and women’s football, increase the frequency of elite matches and invitational camps across all parts of the country, and play more representative matches against international opposition.

“By using purpose-built technology and engaging a wider scouting pool to evaluate Australian talent both in Australia and abroad, we believe we can identify more talent in each age group than we ever have and support their development. This in turn will allow national team coaches to improve squad selection and create more competition for spots in our youth national teams, which will feed into the senior national teams.”

Geography is Australia’s number one challenge when it comes to talent identification, where Football Australia has developed a Talent ID App which will enable technical staff, coaches, and scouts to provide real time feedback on talent covering a range of key attributes.

As part of the market visit Football Australia – with the strong support of Football NSW - hosted two elite matches at Valentine Sports Park featuring a girls’ match and a boys’ match, where over 50 technical directors and qualified coaches from across Greater Sydney attended to provide their real time feedback using Football Australia’s Talent ID App, enabling FIFA staff to see the cornerstone of Football Australia’s proposed TDS strategy in action.

April Heinrichs – the globally revered FIFA Women’s World Cup winner as a player, coach, and technical director – said the week in Sydney was hugely beneficial and she was impressed with the vision Football Australia has to tackle the unique challenges it faces in the area of talent identification.

“I’ve been thoroughly impressed with Football Australia’s approach to the development of its own Talent Development Scheme,” Heinrichs added via press release.

“Over a five-day period, I’ve been able to meet with a range of people within Football Australia and the wider Australian football community to better understand the association’s challenges around the development of talent and witnessed first-hand the exciting opportunities that lie ahead for Australian football.

“FIFA will continue to work closely with Football Australia to support their endeavours in this space, and we look forward to seeing the roll-out of the association’s Talent Development Scheme and the positive outcomes which should stem from this over the next decade and beyond.”

Football Australia is aiming to launch its Technical Development Scheme in early 2023.

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FIFA has confirmed the short-listed Team Base Camp options that will be available for selection by participating teams (Participating Member Associations: PMAs) for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023.

In what arrives as a first for the FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament, competing countries will use dedicated Team Base Camps in next year’s tournament in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

A Team Base Camp (TBC) is the 'home away from home’ for a PMA during the competition period and includes an accommodation and training site pairing for the entire delegation.

In Australia, 35 Team Base Camp options have been shortlisted across five Host Cities and 11 other regional centres, for the 16 Participating Member Associations that will play group matches in Australia.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, 21 TBC options have been shortlisted across four Host Cities and five other regional centres, for the 16 PMAs that will play group matches in Aotearoa New Zealand.

After the Draw for the Tournament in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau on October 22, 2022 - the 29 qualified PMAs will be able to visit the various TBC sites in the country where they are drawn to play their group matches and submit to FIFA their preferred TBC choices. FIFA will then confirm the selected TBCs by the end of 2022.

The three PMAs that will qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 via the Play-Off Tournament in February 2023 will select their TBC after qualification.

Appearing on the shortlist does not equate to a pairing's automatic confirmation as a TBC. It simply means the venue has passed a thorough evaluation process and is eligible for selection by a PMA.

In addition to the TBCs, Venue Specific Team Hotel and Venue Specific Training Sites pairings aligned to the 10 match venues have been confirmed. There are two per host city – eight in Aotearoa New Zealand and 10 in Australia – and these will primarily be used for match preparation activities on the day before match days.

In addition, the location of the headquarters for the referees’ training base has also been confirmed as the Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre.

FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 is the first to be co-hosted, the first to be held in the Southern Hemisphere and the first with 32 teams – up from 24 in 2019.

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A reported joint bid for the 2030 World Cup is set to be made by a trio consisting of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Greece.

If successful, the bid will see the World Cup hosted in Africa for the first time since 2010, and should Egypt's reported effort alongside Greece and Saudi Arabia go through, it will see Africa be the co-host of the global bonanza.

The bidding process for hosting the 2010 tournament finals was open only to African nations, and in 2004, FIFA selected South Africa over Egypt and Morocco to become the first African nation to host the finals.

Meanwhile, if the three nations win the bid, it means the matches will have to be played in winter again and not in the usual June/July period, just like the 2022 one – which is the first World Cup ever to be held in the Arab world.

If the three-nation bid sees the light of the day, it means it will be staged in the middle of the European domestic season due to high temperatures in June and July in the region at that time of year.

The announcement of the 2030 bid by the three countries is understood to be imminent following discussions at senior government level.

It is also understood that Saudi Arabia will be the lead partner and will primarily contribute to the infrastructural costs.

The UK and Ireland abandoned the quest to bid to host the global bonanza, and the European-led bid – which will likely be backed by UEFA – is expected to be a joint one between Portugal and Spain. The Saudi Arabia-Greece-Egypt call will expectedly be supported by CAF member associations and the Asian federations.

The 2030 competition will be a commemoration of 100 years of the World Cup since it was first staged in Uruguay in 1930, and thus a bid from South America is also likely to happen.

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FIFA is set to debut a reimagined fan destination and on-site entertainment experience for fans at future FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women’s World Cup events called the FIFA Fan Festival.

Beginning with World Cup Qatar 2022, this multidimensional, inclusive event will provide new ways for fans to celebrate their shared passion for football and experience the best in music, entertainment, local culture, food, games and lifestyle trends in a true festival environment.

Formerly known as the FIFA Fan Fest, this one-stop destination for fans previously appeared at four editions of the World Cup – starting with the 2006 World Cup Germany – and welcomed almost 40 million visitors across five continents.

Following its debut in its new form in Qatar later this year, the FIFA Fan Festival will premiere at the Women’s World Cup at the tournament in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand in 2023.

“To support our mission to make football truly global, accessible and inclusive, we are thrilled to introduce a new vision for the entertainment experience surrounding future FIFA World Cup events,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement.

“The FIFA Fan Festival provides an incredible opportunity for fans to come together beyond the stadiums and the on-pitch action and experience football in new and unique ways. We are truly excited about the future of the FIFA Fan Festival and the enhanced entertainment offerings that will bring fans and partners alike closer to both men’s and women’s FIFA World Cups, as well as global football culture.”

The newly reimagined FIFA Fan Festival was designed to tap into the unique energy felt around major FIFA competitions. It will give all types of fans – from avid supporters to casual football enthusiasts and lovers of music, food and culture – new ways to connect and engage with football in a fun, entertaining and festive atmosphere.

For the World Cup Qatar 2022, the FIFA Fan Festival will be held at one central location at Al Bidda Park in Doha over the 29 days of the tournament (November 20 – December 18 2022). This go-to destination for fans on-site at Qatar 2022 will feature the following attractions:

• Live broadcasts of every match on giant screens, with views of Doha’s futuristic skyline in the background
• Concerts starring top global and local music acts and live works by internationally acclaimed performance artists
• A food court offering unique culinary experiences featuring local cuisine and international delicacies
• Unique football matches with FIFA Legends, in addition to interactive physical and digital football gaming stations for fans of all ages
• Innovative sponsor activations, as well as an official FIFA Store with licensed FIFA World Cup products

FIFA will also extend the reach of the event around the world by enabling fans to watch, experience and interact with content from the FIFA Fan Festival through the FIFA+ digital platform. Throughout Qatar 2022, fans will be able to access content from the FIFA Fan Festival by visiting the World Cup page on FIFA+.

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FIFA have announced the arrival of FIFA+ Collect, a new platform allowing fans to own and collect digital FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women’s World Cup moments.

Launching on FIFA+ later this month, FIFA+ Collect will provide football fans around the world with the chance to affordably own unique digital collectibles – from the greatest game moments to the most iconic FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women’s World Cup art and imagery.

“Fandom is changing and football fans around the world engage with the game in new and exciting ways,” FIFA Chief Business Officer Romy Gai said in a statement.

“This exciting announcement makes FIFA collectibles available to any football fan, democratising the ability to own a part of the FIFA World Cup. Just like sports memorabilia and stickers, this is an accessible opportunity for fans around the world to engage with their favourite players, moments and more on new platforms.”

FIFA+ Collect will release a range of initial collections and details of upcoming exclusive and limited-edition collections to be released soon.

FIFA+ Collect will be available on FIFA+, the world-class digital platform created to connect football fans across the globe more deeply with the game they love. FIFA+ provides access to live football matches from every corner of the world, interactive games, news, tournament information, and unrivalled original content - delivering truly global storytelling around the men’s and women’s game.

From launch, FIFA+ Collect will be available across all web and mobile devices and in three language editions (English, French, and Spanish), with several additional languages to follow.

FIFA+ Collect is powered by Algorand, the official blockchain platform of FIFA and the technology of choice for over 2,000 global organisations, governments and digital-native decentralised finance applications. It is a low-cost, carbon neutral blockchain accessible via multiple currencies and payment methods.

“FIFA’s platform – via a truly decentralised and scalable public blockchain – is the first tangible representation of the technical partnership recently announced between FIFA and Algorand,” Algorand interim CEO Sean Ford said via FIFA.

“The commitment FIFA has made to bridge to Web3 enabled by Algorand, is a testament to their innovative spirit and desire to directly and seamlessly engage with football fans around the world.”

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With the financial support of FIFA, the Mexican Football Federation has launched the FIFA | FMF Supercopa Femenil (Women's Super Cup) as part of its women's football development programme.

The five-day U-15 tournament (between 3-7 August) organised in Toluca, provided 206 players across 12 teams from Nuevo León, Tlaxcala, Chiapas, Mexico City, Sinaloa, Jalisco, Veracruz, Guanajuato, Estado de México, Baja California, Chihuahua, as well as a representative team from the United States, with an opportunity to have their talents detected by scouts from both Liga MX, and the Mexican national teams.

FIFA will provide technical support, equipment and funding for two years, as well as education and empowerment through seminars for coaches.

The FIFA's Women’s Development Programme aims to provide all 211 member associations with the opportunity to apply for, and access additional resources and specialist expertise to develop women’s football at a national level.

Member associations can apply for support across eight key areas of women’s football development during the 2020-2023 period. In addition to financial assistance to cover the costs in selected programmes, the FIFA Women’s Development Programme will also provide access to women’s football experts, additional equipment and technical support within FIFA.

"The Supercopa Femenil was born from the dream of bringing Mexican youth players to a competitive showcase for women's football in our country, attracting the best academies that are supporting the development of players in this category. This has resulted in a life-changing experience to be scouted by national team staff, and those of Liga MX Femenil teams," Lucia Mijares, FMF Technical Sports Development Director, said in a statement.

Andrea Rodebaugh, FIFA Women’s Football Consultant, added via FIFA:

“Observing the Supercopa Femenil in Mexico has been inspirational. Its implementation is helping strengthen pathways by showcasing talent, motivating players and coaches as well as sharing knowledge and unique experiences so that growth continues where needed. There is so much talent, potential and support from everyone in the FMF. I am very optimistic for the future.”

Karl Dodd, FIFA Women’s Football Expert, stated via FIFA:

“The Supercopa has been well organised and provides a great opportunity for players to gain experience playing against top teams in their age group. It also enables scouts to watch these players, and for coaches to undertake development workshops to further improve the positive impact they have on players, supporting their personal and professional development.”

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Ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, FIFA has announced that it will utilise semi-automated VAR offside technology at the tournament.

As confirmed by head of refereeing Pierluigi Collina following trials at the Arab Cup and Club World Cup, the move to introduce further advancements in the VAR process for this year’s showpiece tournament has been ongoing over the past few months.

The fresh processes – which can cut VAR decision-making from 70 seconds to 25 seconds – are set to be implemented in the Gulf State in November.

Collina, a former World Cup final referee when he took charge of Brazil’s win over Germany at Korea/Japan 2002, says the time is now to bring in semi-automated technology, which will further enhance decision-making.

“We are very positive. It is ready,” he said in a statement.

“I read about robot referees. I understand this is very good for headlines, but it is not the case.

“The match officials are still involved in the decision-making process. The semi-automated technology only gives an answer when a player is in an offside position when they play the ball.

“The assessment of interfering with an opponent and seeing if a handball or foul was committed remains at the discretion of the referee. Our goal is to get referees taking decisions correctly on the field.

“If something wrong should happen, the referee may take advantage of the technology to get a better vision of what happened – but there will still be room for discussion.”

Semi-automated technology will make use of in-ball sensors, dedicated multi-tracking camera rigs and 29 rapid data points on players to help calculate exact positions.

The Qatar 2022 World Cup opens on November 21, with Senegal facing the Netherlands and England squaring off with Iran before the hosts play the official opening game against Ecuador.

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The Bureau of the FIFA Council – composed of the FIFA President and the six confederation presidents – has addressed a number of key topics ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Given the need to retain additional flexibility due to the unique timing of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in the global calendar, as well as the broader context of the disruptive effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on squads before and during tournaments, the Bureau has decided the following:

• The maximum number of players on the release list has been increased from 35 to 55.
• The number of players to be included on the final list has been increased to at least 23 and a maximum of 26.
• The final matchday at club level for the 23 to 26 players nominated on the final list will be 13 November 2022.
• No more than 26 people (up to 15 substitutes and 11 team officials – one of these officials must be the team doctor) will be allowed to sit on the team bench.

In addition, following an in-depth review of the 2015 edition of the FIFA Equipment Regulations, which considered best practices in football and selected sports industry regulations, whilst also taking into account relevant provisions of the Laws of the Game and other FIFA regulations, the Bureau has decided to apply changes for the 2022 edition. The updated Equipment Regulations are available on FIFA.com.

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With the entire world going into a COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in 2020, many football tournaments - including FIFA’s - went on hiatus. This meant that 200 official footballs due to be used during matches, and 2,000 mini footballs for promotional purposes, remained unused.

In 2021, with sustainability in mind, FIFA was looking for a new home for the balls, leading to the germination of an idea for a collaboration between the Fan Movement, FIFA and adidas.

FIFA offered Fan Movement members an exclusive opportunity to submit diverse grassroots and community football organisations to which they had a personal connection; projects that used football as a tool for good and which had a positive impact on their local communities.

34 submissions from around the world were received, showcasing the diversity of the Fan Movement community. Each project was unique and impactful. After a very thorough review of each submission, taking a set list of parameters into account, nine projects in eight countries around the world were selected to receive a donation.

From Guatemala to the Philippines, from Lebanon to Portugal, these projects all reflect the power of football to have a positively impact individuals' lives.

The donations will have a short and long-term impact in the communities they have reached, with children and adults alike seeing the benefits. Many of the grassroots organisations use the sport as a tool for building life skills such as teamwork, communication, hard work, discipline and a healthy outlet of physical activity…with just a few of the examples, in our video.

Fan Movement is the bridge that connects FIFA to the people and places where football lives. It enables FIFA to go where football is: seeking input from them and shining a light on their communities.

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FIFA has announced the appointment of Elkhan Mammadov as Director Member Associations Europe.

From May 1, 2022, Mammadov will assume the role and will be responsible for regional strategies on the implementation of the FIFA Forward programme, analysing specific requirements across European football’s 55 FIFA member associations in order to define development projects and to ensure their implementation in line with the FIFA framework.

His appointment ends a spell of almost a decade and a half with the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA), initially as General Secretary and latterly in the role of Executive Vice President. Mammadov assumes the role vacated by Nodar Akhalkatsi, who has been appointed to the post of FIFA Director of Strategic Projects and Member Association Governance.

“It is a real boost to FIFA to have Elkhan joining the team,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said.

“His commitment to building the foundations of football has reaped significant reward for everyone involved in the sport in Azerbaijan, and I look forward to him applying his experience for the benefit of European football as a whole. We welcome him to the FIFA team.”

Mammadov joined AFFA in 2007 and played a leading role in raising the stature of all sports in Azerbaijan. He was Chairman of Local Organising Structure behind the third edition of the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in his home country in 2012, whilst simultaneously sitting on FIFA’s Fair Play and Social Responsibility Committee. He had a guiding hand in Baku staging further international events, namely the 2015 European Games and 2019 UEFA Europa League final before hosting four matches, including a quarter-final, at UEFA EURO 2020.

“It is a very special opportunity to join FIFA and I do so with feelings of responsibility and honour,” Mammadov said, who will be based in Paris with the FIFA Member Associations team.

“Today, FIFA is a locomotive of the game, covering every corner of our fragile world. Together with the FIFA team and member associations, I am sure we will continue developing football, implementing new ideas for further developing both men’s and women’s football.

“I am passionate about good governance and the sustainable development of football, and I share the objectives of FIFA and President Infantino in that regard,” he added. “The last 15 years at AFFA have given me significant experience in the sports industry. It has been a long and pleasant journey, so thanks to the AFFA President and team for the hand-in-hand collaboration, for implementing effective management, developing grassroots football, and organising great events. I will give everything to use that experience for wider impact in this new position.”

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FIFA have announced the launch of FIFA+, a brand-new digital platform designed to bring football fans together across the globe through having access to the game they love, for free.

FIFA+ delivers live domestic league games from around the globe, match stats, the greatest archive in international football, premium original content, immersive global storytelling, and much more.

Over 29,000 men’s matches and over 11,000 women’s matches will be streamed on FIFA+ in 2022, totalling over 40,000 matches.

“FIFA+ represents the next step in our vision to make football truly global and inclusive, and it underpins FIFA’s core mission of expanding and developing football globally,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said.

“This project represents a cultural shift in the way different types of football fans want to connect with and explore the global game and has been a fundamental part of my Vision 2020-2023. It will accelerate the democratisation of football and we are delighted to share it with fans.”

FIFA+ offers live coverage from Europe’s top flight leagues to previously unserved competitions from around the world in men’s, women’s and youth football.  From launch, 1,400 matches will be live streamed monthly on FIFA+, and rising rapidly.

Ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, FIFA+ will be home to every FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women’s World Cup™ match ever recorded on camera, totalling more than 2,000 hours of archived content. For the first time ever, this entire archive will be available to fans.

Fans will have the ability to watch full-match replays, highlights, goals and magical moments all in one place. The FIFA+ Archive will launch with more than 2,500 videos dating back to the 1950s, with many more to come throughout the year.

The Match Centre will allow football fans to immerse themselves in rich football data across 400 men's competitions and 65 women's competitions. A daily feed of news from around the world of men’s and women’s football will also complement and offer additional updates. Throughout the year, fans will enjoy interactive games including votes, quizzes, fantasy games and predictors.

From launch, FIFA+ will bring the game to life through exclusive, world-class titles including:

• Ronaldinho: The Happiest Man in the World - An exclusive, feature-length documentary offering extensive access to and never-seen-before archive of one of the most iconic players to have played the game.
• Captains: Season 1 - A ground-breaking 8-part series from Fulwell 73 (Sunderland ‘Til I Die, All or Nothing: Juventus) following six captains as they lead their countries through qualification for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. The series, which will explore each individual’s leadership traits, features Luka Modrić (Croatia), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon), Brian Kaltak (Vanuatu), Andre Blake (Jamaica), Hassan Maatouk (Lebanon) and Thiago Silva (Brazil).
• Croatia: Defining a Nation - This original feature-length documentary tells the story of how football unites and binds this nation and a group of friends who reached global recognition against the backdrop of the most extreme adversity.
• Icons - A 5 x 26-minute docuseries showcasing five of the biggest game-changers of the women’s game: Wendie Renard, Lucy Bronze, Asisat Oshoala, Carli Lloyd and Sam Kerr telling their stories in their own words. Produced by Noah Media Group (14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible, Finding Jack Charlton).
• Academies - The inside story of some of the greatest talent production lines in world football from Shoot the Company. Season 1 tells the story of RSC Anderlecht across 3 x 30-minute episodes.

FIFA+ will be available across all web and mobile devices, and across a range of connected devices soon. It will be available in five language editions (English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish), alongside an additional six languages to follow in June of 2022.

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Two independent studies have suggested that FIFA's economic situation would be dramatically improved if both men's and women's FIFA World Cups switch to a biennial format.

The findings, from Nielsen and OpenEconomics, were presented in front of 207 of a possible 210 of FIFA's member associations (MAs). The presentation took place at the FIFA Global Summit and was staged as the 'latest step in the future of football'.

FIFA President, Gianni Infantino:

"We have been advised by independent experts that a switch to a biennial FIFA World Cup would provide a combined additional USD 4.4 billion in revenue from the first four-year cycle, with these funds being distributed across our 211 member associations," he said.

"This additional revenue would allow solidarity funding to move from the current level of USD 6 million per cycle to up to potentially USD 25 million on average per FIFA member association in the first four-year cycle, with the actual distribution being subject to FIFA’s governance principles."

Based on the findings, the following economic boosts would occur:

• A USD 3.5 billion (4.9 billion AUD) solidarity fund would be established with revenues to be distributed to all MAs, to inject an average of up to USD 16 million (22 million AUD) to every MA, while also retaining a capacity to mitigate against any financial shortfalls suffered by any MA due to the international match calendar changes.

• FIFA’s Forward distribution for every MA would increase by 50% to USD 9 million (12 million AUD) per cycle.

• The overall uplift for world football would be in the region of USD 6.6 billion (9.1 billion AUD) in the first four-year cycle.
• A biennial cycle for the men’s World Cup would produce a gross domestic product (GDP) gain of more than USD 180 billion (249 billion AUD) over a 16-year period, while generating two million full-time jobs.

FIFA Chief of Global Football Development, Arsene Wenger:

"FIFA’s commitment to the future of football remains resolute, as we want to give every talent a chance, and to create the right environment to deliver on that promise through our competitions," he said.

"We want to reorganise the international match calendar, especially to promote and improve football, while respecting all stakeholders – and that begins with the players themselves, by introducing a mandatory rest period."

As part of his plan, national-team fixtures would be grouped together under a new international match calendar, leading to less travel for the players.

FIFA is planning for more consultations with confederations and MA's early this year, with the opportunity to explore the idea in further depth.

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For the first time in eight years, FIFA has introduced a new commercial partnership structure that will provide companies worldwide with increased opportunities to partner with soccer.

Three partnership variables have been launched which include women's football, men's football and Esports/gaming. As a starting point, brands will now be able to negotiate dedicated partnerships with women's football and Esports.

FIFA are building on their Women's Football strategy implemented from 2018, by launching a dedicated women's soccer commercial vertical to show their commitment to making soccer more accessible for women and girls across the globe. Their main aim from this vertical is to accelerate the growth and equality of the women's game.

As for opportunities that provides for Australia, it could be a key driver for broadening the business side in women's soccer, as well as the ever-growing Esports.

FIFA Chief Women's Football Officer, Sarai Bareman:

"This marks a groundbreaking moment to maximise the growth of the women’s game and its marketing appeal, as we create equal commercial models across Women’s and Men’s Football for the first time," she said.

"We’re excited about the opportunities for brands who want to support women’s sport, help accelerate women’s equality, and wish to align themselves with the unparalleled momentum around women’s football."

A dedicated partnerships structure for Esports will allow FIFA to further broaden its gaming footprint. The structure provides exciting opportunities to participate in one of the world's fastest growing markets.

Overall, FIFA's new partnership structure includes the following:

• All partners will receive extensive global commercial rights across national team tournaments.
• Sponsors will receive global activation rights surrounding the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the FIFA World Cup and/or across all FIFAe competitions.
• Tournament Supporters will be able to select territorial activation rights for any of the above listed tournaments.
• FIFA partners continue to hold the highest level of association with global partner status and category exclusivity across competitions.
• FIFA’s new commercial approach will enable brands to benefit from new opportunities to associate with FIFA’s brand for business-driven purposes

FIFA Chief Commercial Officer, Kay Madati, on the impact these changes will make:

"As we continually work to make football truly global, accessible and inclusive, we recognised the need for a nimble and customisable commercial structure that enables brands big and small, global and local, to connect with all aspects of the beautiful game," he said.

"The new model will allow our partners to create more tailored programming and marketing activations that align directly with their strategic business goals, and connect them to the world’s most passionate fans, in the world’s most engaging sport."

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FIFA has remained committed to the ongoing reform of the transfer system in a recent meeting with leading stakeholders and the global football community.

The meeting also saw the future of the international match calendar discussed in further detail with various perspectives contributing to the discussion regarding men's football. Delegates from over 50 of FIFA’s member associations participated, together with members of the media.

FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger was given the opportunity to outline his proposals for the future of the international match calendar during the Professional Football Conference, alongside Technical Director Steven Martens.

In addition to the mandatory rest period for players, the topic of international qualification windows was discussed as well as the retained balance of matches for clubs and leagues and the benefit scheme for those clubs.

In welcoming the participants via video message, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said:

"FIFA has included stakeholders in the decision-making process and has democratised access to information in a way that is remarkable and unprecedented. This webinar is one of many initiatives aimed at engaging with all the main actors of the game: bigger, smaller and from every corner of the world.

"Our proposal does not lead to a reduction in matches for the leagues,” Mr Wenger explained as part of a question-and-answer session with stakeholders.

"It’s more of an optimisation of the time available. It will be clearer and regrouping windows means more time available for the clubs and leagues. Time is an important factor in football. Longer breaks means fewer breaks overall, and less disruption to the season."

Wenger summarised the demand of the member associations to compromise between the quantity of qualifying matches and the need to reduce interruptions to the club season, elaborating that playing six matches in October and two in March could be a workable solution.

"Basically, if you have two [FIFA] World Cups in four years, you will have twice the benefit scheme for the clubs. FIFA will continue to support the clubs; there’s no going back on that," he said.

Over 500 participants to the sessions – including representatives of clubs and leagues – also had the chance to hear the reaction of FIFA Chief Legal and Compliance Officer Emilio García Silvero to the report on EU sports policy presented by Member of the European Parliament Tomasz Frankowski.

The report reinforces FIFA’s boosting of the regulatory framework through the reform of the transfer system which is a key pillar of the FIFA President’s Vision 2020-2023.

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Battle lines are being drawn between FIFA and key stakeholders, as it remains to be seen whether Australia will support the push for a two-year World Cup cycle.

FIFA's minutes from the 71st Congress, where Saudi Arabia put forward the motion to study the viability of a two-year cycle, doesn't include what member federations voted for in the motion.

Football Australia hasn't stated publicly whether they were one of the 166 nations who voted for the motion, or whether they support the plans.

Football Australia is instead adopting a wait-and-see approach, to avoid taking a position before any proposal for changes are put forward after the viability study is completed.

Two-time A-League Coach of the Year Ernie Merrick believes the push from FIFA for a two-year World Cup cycle is because of business and money.

"It's about profit and loss. It's not about the people in the sport really, and FIFA are always competing with their confederations, of which there are six, and FIFA only have one event where they make substantial money from revenue and that's every four years," Merrick said.

"So in effect FIFA loses money for three years, and then the fourth year and makes massive profits mainly from broadcast, ticket sales, and sponsorship from a World Cup."

The majority of FIFA's $8.7 billion in revenue between 2015-2018 came from the 2018 Men's tournament.

The commercial value of another World Cup every four years is incredibly attractive to the governing body as a way to boost its already full coffers.

Australian football will struggle to keep up with other countries if the World Cup is hosted every two years, according to Merrick.

"At the same time a lot of countries, including Asian countries, are spending an enormous amount of money on facilities and preparation setups for national competition. We all know of England's setup, which is huge at St George's Park, and here we don't have a designated specific setup to prepare national teams," he said.

"There's a lot of infrastructure that will have to change to give Australia a chance to qualify on a regular basis. We certainly have good players and good coaches – and we can compete with anyone regarding players, coaching and strategy – but when it comes to the sort of money involved in preparing a national team, friendly games, and the amount of travel involved, Australia is really going to suffer."

Michael Valkanis – former A-League coach, player and current Greece assistant coach – believes that without aligning with FIFA international dates, it means the A-League will struggle to adapt to a two-year World Cup cycle.

"We saw the effects of the Socceroos going away to play, and it always makes it difficult on A-League coaches and teams to support that." Valkanis said.

"You can see the effects it can have on finals games, and we've been crying out for a long time that we become parallel with the rest of the world with international dates."

Some of Australia's biggest competitors in the AFC are showing ambivalence towards the concept.

"It would depend on how it would all be organised," a Korean FA official told Deutsche Welle.

"If we want to have consistent success then we need to play as many competitive games against South American and European teams as possible. At the moment, we play one or two games every four years if we qualify. It's not enough."

While the viability of a two-year World Cup cycle is being studied, it is unclear how determined FIFA is to implement such a radical change to the football calendar against intense opposition from some of its members.

Merrick believes the end result could be FIFA demanding a portion of the confederation's revenue.

"I think four years is probably a better situation at the moment – maybe three years down the track – but I think confederations will have to come to an arrangement with FIFA, and FIFA will want to take some of their revenue somehow through licensing," Merrick said.

Those involved in international football already believe that the best model is the one we have currently, something that Valkanis is a strong fan of.

"I am a traditionalist. I think the World Cup is something special that stands out from any other competition in the world," he said.

"The only other event that comes close is the Olympic Games, and to change the format so we see it every two years instead of four, I don't think it leaves it the same. It is special the way it is."

Football Australia CEO James Johnson will have a challenge on his hands navigating what a change in the World Cup's schedule means for Australian football, as FIFA continues to push for increased revenue from the game.

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino and United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed have agreed to work on plans to implement Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The leaders held a virtual meeting on Monday where they discussed shared priorities and the power of football.

The SDGs are a series of 17 global goals created by the UN in 2015 – the goals aim to achieve a more sustainable and better future and are intended to be implemented by 2030.

“The United Nations welcomes the collaboration with FIFA, particularly football’s potential in supporting the SDGs,” United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed said.

“Our engagement is important to best identify how we can advance the Sustainable Development Goals not only at the global level, but also at regional and local level to ensure no one is left behind.”

The meeting also covered potential opportunities for the UN and FIFA to collaborate ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

“It is important for us at the new FIFA to be able to engage with the UN,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said.

“The new FIFA is a responsible body and a sustainable organisation. It is an organisation that is aware that football goes beyond playing competitions. Football is much more than that.

“FIFA strongly believes that through football, you can speak about everything, as it teaches children about values and rules, and we want to use football’s force for education.”

Monday also marked International Women’s Day and FIFA elaborated that it gave the two leaders a chance to reflect on football's role in advancing gender equality and working on processes to safeguard from potential abuse.

FIFA and the UN have worked together on a number of collaborations in recent years. In 2019, FIFA and the UN teamed up to promote the benefits of a healthy lifestyle - while in 2016, FIFA was the first sports organisation to commit to a UN climate change campaign.

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FIFA has appointed two Chief Operating Officers (COOs) for the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.

Jane Fernandez and Jane Patterson have been named as COOs for Australia and New Zealand respectively, after their initial appointments last year to lead the FIFA Women's World Cup office for their host countries.

Fernandez led Football Australia's successful bid to host the tournament and subsequently led to her appointment as Head of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 Office (Australia). She's was also the Head of Sport for the Australian Olympic Committee and Tournament Director of the AFC Asian Cup 2015.

Patterson worked on sports events across Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia and the UK, featuring a a wide range of world championships in netball, BMX, para-swimming and taekwondo and major events including the Ironman Triathlon and the New Zealand Open golf tournament.

She was recognised for her achievements in service to sport with a New Zealand Order of Merit in 2016. She also worked for NZ Football as Project Director for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023.

[caption id="attachment_8658" align="alignright" width="300"] Jane Patterson (right) receiving the New Zealand Order of Merit from Lt Gen The Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae, GNZM, QSO (left) during the Investiture Ceremony at Government House Auckland in 2016. (Credit: The Office of the Governor-General)[/caption]

FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura:

“Today’s announcement adds to the excitement around the ninth edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.

"We are delighted to welcome Jane Patterson and Jane Fernandez on board as Chief Operating Officers for the competition.

Their skill, experience in leading multi-talented teams and passion for football will be key to ensuring the delivery of the FIFA Women’s World Cup at the highest level.”

Football Australia Chief Executive Officer James Johnson:

“We are delighted that Jane Fernandez has been appointed to this prestigious and important position, and that her vast knowledge and skillset will continue to be utilised by FIFA for the biggest sporting event to be held on Australian soil since Sydney 2000.”

CEO of New Zealand Football, Andrew Pragnell:

“New Zealand Football are thrilled to see Jane Patterson confirmed as Chief Operating Officer (New Zealand) for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.

"Jane has done a stellar job to date as Project Director for the Initial Operating Phase and we are delighted to see her continue to bring her wealth of knowledge and experience to the tournament.”

The newly-appointed COOs will oversee the operational aspects for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 in Australia and New Zealand. It's the first time this tournament will be co-hosted in FIFA's history, that will feature 32 teams - an increase from 24 in France 2019.

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Fans will have to return a negative COVID-19 test result in order to receive a ticket to the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2020 as part of strict precautions to limit the spread of the virus.

The announcements of virus measures were made by tournament organisers at a media briefing in Doha on Saturday.

"Fans will have to undergo rapid PCR or antigen tests up to 72 hours before each match. If it comes out negative they are allowed to receive their ticket," Sport affairs adviser to Qatar's health ministry, Abdulwahab Al Musleh said.

Fans from overseas will also be unable to attend the Club World Cup while public events such as fan zones will not occur.

Crowds will be limited to 30 percent capacity at the grounds for the tournament - Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium and Education City Stadium. At full capacity both stadiums can host up to 40,000 people.

Use of Qatar's contract tracing app alongside, social distancing, mask wearing and sanitiser will be mandatory for spectators at the tournament.

FIFA said that it would work with the authorities in Qatar to provide "the safeguards required to protect the health and safety of everyone involved in the competition”.

After originally being scheduled to be played in December 2020 the FIFA Club World Cup was postponed to February 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The tournament will be played between February 4 and 11 and features six teams – Al-Duhail SC (Qatar), Al Ahly SC (Egypt), FC Bayern Munich (Germany), Ulsan Hyundai FC (South Korea), Tigres UANL (Mexico) and the Copa Libertadores (South America) champions will compete in the World Cup.

Auckland City were due to compete in the FIFA Club World Cup but withdrew as a result of COVID-19 quarantine requirements put in place by New Zealand authorities.

The FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2020 is also set to be the first international competition to test concussion substitutes.

“FIFA will implement a protocol in which each team will be permitted to use a maximum of one concussion substitute in a match; this substitution will be able to be made regardless of the number of substitutes already used,” FIFA said in a statement.

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The official draw for the FIFA Club World Cup 2020 has been released ahead of the tournament's scheduled start in Qatar next month.

Six teams are participating in the tournament that runs between the February 4 and 11.

Al-Duhail SC (Qatar), Al Ahly SC (Egypt), FC Bayern Munich (Germany), Ulsan Hyundai FC (South Korea), Tigres UANL (Mexico) and the Copa Libertadores (South America) champions will compete in the World Cup - the Copa Libertadores final is scheduled for January 30.

The draw was held at FIFA's headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland and was conducted by FIFA Deputy Director of Competitions Jaime Yarza.

The tournament kicks off with Tigres UANL taking on Ulsan Hyundai FC at 17:00 local time (01:00 February 5 AEDT) on February 4 at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.

Later that day Al Duhail SC and Al Ahly SC will face off at Education City Stadium at 20:30 (04:30 February 5 AEDT).

The winner of the Tigres-Ulsan clash will then play the Copa Libertadores champions - either Palmeiras or Santos in the semi-finals.

Meanwhile the winner of the Al Duhail-Al Ahly match will move on to play FC Bayern Munich.

The final then takes place at Education City Stadium on February 11 at 21:00 (05:00 February 12 AEDT).

Last week it was confirmed that Auckland City FC would be unable to participate in the tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the quarantine requirements that have been put in place by the New Zealand government.

This resulted in local team Al-Duhail SC moving directly to the second round.

“The competition format remains unchanged, with the opening match forfeited,” FIFA said.

“The tournament will now be staged at Education City and Ahmad Bin Ali Stadiums, while Khalifa International Stadium, which was originally due to host two games, will not be used.”

The FIFA Club World Cup was first played in 2000 and features the winners of the UEFA Champions League, AFC Champions League, CAF Champions League, CONCACAF Champions League, Copa Libertadores, OFC Champions League plus the champions of the host nation’s national league.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the cancellation of both the U-17 and U-19 FIFA World Cups in 2021.

Indonesia was set to host the 2021 FIFA U-20 World Cup and now Peru, the scheduled host of the 2021 FIFA U-17 World Cup, will instead host the 2023 editions of the respective tournaments.

The decision to cancel the 2021 tournaments was made by the Bureau of the FIFA Council.

“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to present challenges for the hosting of international sporting events and to have a restrictive effect on international travel,” FIFA said in a statement on Thursday.

“FIFA has therefore regularly consulted the relevant stakeholders, including the host member associations as well as the confederations involved in both tournaments originally scheduled to take place in 2021.”

“In doing so, it became clear that the global situation has failed to normalise to a sufficient level to address the challenges associated with hosting both tournaments, including the feasibility of the relevant qualification pathways.”

FIFA said that it was looking forward to working closely with Indonesia and Peru to organise successful tournaments.

“FIFA would like to express its gratitude to the host member associations, as well as the authorities in Indonesia and Peru, for their commitment and the tournament preparations made so far.”

The Bureau of the FIFA Council also made decisions regarding the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The allocation of the 32 slots for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup was confirmed - Australia and New Zealand as the two host countries automatically qualify for the World Cup.

Six direct slots for the Asian Football Confederation have been made available. Four direct slots are available for both the Confederation of African Football and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football.

The South American Football Confederation has three direct slots while the Oceania Football Confederation has only one direct slot.

Three remaining slots for the tournament will made available via a play-off tournament.

Australia and New Zealand’s direct qualification for the World Cup are taken as a direct allocation from their confederations, the Asian Football Confederation and the Oceania Football Confederation.

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22 national teams from the Middle East and Arab regions have signed up to participate in the FIFA Arab Cup 2021.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed the number of participants during a visit to Lusail Stadium, where the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final is scheduled to be played.

Infantino said that the tournament, which will take place in December 2021 will unite football fans across the Arab region.

“We are delighted that all 22 teams from across the Arab world have agreed to take part in the FIFA Arab Cup 2021, which will be held in FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 stadiums, and we are looking forward to seeing the region’s best teams battle it out to see which nation will become champion,” he said.

“Through football, this tournament will unite over 450 million people from across the region, and we are confident that the FIFA Arab Cup will help to build excitement across the region as we edge ever nearer to hosting the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and Arab world in 2022.”

Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen will participate in the tournament.

“Fans from across the region will be treated to the same world-class experience that awaits fans from around the world when they flock to Qatar for the FIFA World Cup in 2022,” Qatar Football Association President, H.E. Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Bin Ahmed Al Thani said.

“We welcome our friends from the Middle East and the Arab world to join us in what will be an important milestone and a final test of our preparations, only one year away from us hosting the first FIFA World Cup in the region.”

The tournament is also being used as an opportunity to test operations and facilities ahead of the FIFA World Cup in 2022. The final of the FIFA Arab Cup will be played on December 18, exactly one year before the FIFA World Cup Final in 2022.

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'FIFA Basic’ has been launched as the lowest standard of the FIFA Quality Programme which sets industry standards for football products.

The FIFA Quality Programme sets standards for products such as playing surfaces, equipment and football technology.

‘FIFA Basic’ sits behind ‘FIFA Pro’ and FIFA Quality Pro’. FIFA believes that the new standard will boost football development.

The ‘FIFA Basic’ standard focuses on cost efficiency, durability and safeguarding player safety.

The ‘FIFA Quality’ standard products meet the standard for community and amateur level sport while ‘FIFA Quality Pro’ products meet the benchmarks for professional football.

FIFA’s Quality Programme Conference and Research Symposium was held for the third time recently and was centred on the presentation of the new standard. More than 400 representatives from the football industry, major leagues, and confederations and associations attended the seminar.

“The event offered an important exchange with industry representatives, the football world and the research community on global standards and new developments. Even more important was the opportunity to hear about the industry’s challenges in these challenging times and to discuss possible solutions,” FIFA Director of Football Technology & Innovation, Johannes Holzmüller said about the conference.

“The introduction of the new FIFA Basic quality category and the FIFA Innovation Programme will have a positive impact by making products more affordable and adaptable for all levels of the game.”

Other initiatives were also introduced at the seminar – a new Quality Programme for Football Goals was also presented. Guidelines for natural turf and floodlighting are being developed in this area.

The FIFA Innovation Programme was also announced, which is aimed at new football products coming onto the market.

“The FIFA Innovation Programme, which creates a transparent and uniform process through which new products must pass in order to be approved within a fixed period of time and with clearly defined objectives,” FIFA said in a media release on its website.

On the FIFA Football Technology website, the FIFA Quality Programme has information about the football products it sets standards for from footballs, pitches, VAR, goal line technlgies to futsal surfaces and products.

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FIFA has launched an Executive Programme in Anti-Doping, which aims to provide analysis on the regulatory, institutional and scientific aspects to anti-doping in sport.

The programme was launched on Tuesday and the first edition of the Executive Programme in Anti-Doping will take place from February to July 2021. The programme has been launched in cooperation with the International Centre for Sports Studies.

Lawyers, doctors or sports administrators from international or national federations are eligible to participate in FIFA’s programme.

FIFA said that programme would benefit participants as it provides in-depth analysis of institutional and regulatory framework of anti-doping as well as an introduction to the scientific aspects to anti-doping.

The academic directors for the programme are Dr. Emilio Garcia Silvero, FIFA’s Chief Legal Officer and Prof. Antonio Rigozzi, who is a Partner at Geneva based law firm Lévy Kaufmann-Kohler and a Professor at the University of Neuchatel Law School.

“Since the establishment of the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) back in 1999, the fight against doping in sport has evolved dramatically. The interaction between the WADA Code, Sports Governing Bodies regulations and national legislation has led a considerable complexity in this field,” FIFA said in a statement on its website.

“Handling a doping case either at the result management stage or before the judicial bodies of a national or international federation or the Court of Arbitration for Sport requires a holistic approach.

“While the FIFA Executive Programme in Anti-doping is mainly focused on the legal and institutional aspects of the anti-doping landscape, a basic approach over the most relevant scientific aspects of this complex phenomenon is also provided.”

The programme is made of three modules which focus on different aspects of anti-doping. Modules 1 and 2 will be held online while the third module takes place at the FIFA HQ in Zurich, Switzerland.

Module 1 takes place between 4-7 February 2021 – this module covers areas such as the history of anti-doping, the prohibited list of substances and testing strategies and anti-doping control.

Module 2 will occur between 22-25 April 2021 and focuses on topics such as the role of laboratories and first instance hearings.

The third module at FIFA HQ will run between 1-4 July 2021, subject to international travel restrictions easing. This module explores topics such as sanctions, appeal proceedings and the future challenges of anti-doping

Tuition fees for this course have been set as $1,200 USD. The admission process is currently open and closes on 19 December. 24 participants will be selected to participate in the programme.

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FIFA has begun its process to examine the 12 candidate host cities for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, through the use of virtual workshops.

Over the next two weeks FIFA will conduct the workshops, with representatives from the candidate host cities across Australia and New Zealand informed about what is required to secure matches for the world-class tournament.

The 12 candidate cities are: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Newcastle, Perth, Launceston, Auckland, Hamilton, Christchurch, Dunedin and Wellington.

Each candidate will also have the opportunity to present an overall update on their hosting plans.

FIFA Chief Tournaments & Events Officer, Colin Smith, stated: “We look forward to the virtual workshops over the coming weeks as we take our first steps together with Australia and New Zealand towards the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. These workshops will provide a useful forum to learn more about the 12 candidate cities, such as their plans for stadia, training sites and other key operational areas.”

FFA CEO, James Johnson, said in a statement: “The ‘As One 2023’ Bid proposed 13 stadiums in 12 host cities, and today marks the commencement of the process to select the final number of stadiums and host cities to host matches at the next FIFA Women’s World Cup. Each candidate host city will have the opportunity to present directly to FIFA regarding the merits of its proposal to host FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 matches.”

“FFA is ready to work in partnership with FIFA to host a festival of football right across Australia, and alongside New Zealand to deliver a tournament that leaves a lasting legacy for the sport both locally and globally. Aligned with the co-hosting of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023, FFA has commenced the development of a legacy framework that will help ensure the continued growth and development of Australian football long after the tournament is completed in 2023.”

“Australia’s co-hosting of the next FIFA Women’s World Cup ensures that we continue to be a globally-minded organisation, and will play a significant role in ensuring Australia becomes the centre of women’s football in the Asia-Pacific region, as envisaged in our XI Principles for the future of Australian football.”

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Japan have withdrawn their bid to host the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, in a boost for the joint Australian and New Zealand entry.

In a statement on Monday, the Japan Football Association (JFA) confirmed their withdrawal from the bidding process and will now throw their support behind the Australasian bid.

"The decision to withdraw from the bid was taken after careful and thorough consideration in the Japan Bid Committee as well as the JFA Executive Committee," JFA president Kohzo Tashima said.

"Now, we can show the solidarity of (the) Asian football family, to lead to a successful bid.

"Japan will cooperate with FIFA and the host nation(s) to ensure women's football in the world continues to advance, expand and ascend to a higher level."

Colombia is the only remaining challenger to the Australia-New Zealand bid, however, in a recent technical evaluation by FIFA, the South Americans didn’t score favourably.

The Colombian bid scored 2.8 out of five according to FIFA’s report, with the Australasian entry ranked the best with 4.1 points.

AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa fully backed the Australia-New Zealand bid on Monday.

“On behalf of the AFC – and the Asian football family – I will be supporting the Australia/New Zealand bid to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023 - and am sure that I will be supported by all the AFC’s FIFA Council Members,” he said.

“The FIFA Evaluation report could not have been clearer on the outstanding sporting infrastructure that will allow the players to perform at their optimum level and are in keeping with the ever-growing profile of this world-class competition."

“Add to this, the unique nature of the cross-Confederation bid, the fact that this is the first time the Southern Hemisphere will have hosted the tournament and the benefits for the development of the women’s game in Asia-Pacific that this united bid would unlock, then the proposition looks to be the only available choice.”

The FIFA Council will announce the hosts of the tournament on June 25.

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After months of inactivity, the A-League will officially be returning to action next month.

July 16 is the current date that has been planned out by the FFA. Melbourne Victory and Western United look set to kick things off again on that day.

Former Victory star striker Besart Berisha will face his old side once again after getting the better of them earlier in the season.

https://twitter.com/FOXSportsAUS/status/1272722391689424897

FFA’s Head of Leagues, Greg O’Rourke had this to say regarding the season restart.

“We have developed multiple draw options for the completion of the regular season”.

“All options commence with Victory taking on Western United at AAMI Park followed by a game between the table topping Sydney FC against third-placed Wellington Phoenix at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium the following day.

“The reason for having multiple draw options — which our clubs are across — is due to the fact that over the next few weeks there may be additional relaxations in border restrictions and travel movements in Australia, which may enable our clubs from Victoria, Queensland and South Australia to remain and play in their home cities, rather than relocating to New South Wales to complete the season.

“We are confident that we will be able to release the revised draw for the completion of the Hyundai A-League 2019/20 season soon.”

So although the season will definitely be getting back underway, there are still lots of variables at play.

As we already know, due to overseas travel restrictions, the Wellington Phoenix have been forced to play all games on Australian soil. Now, with New Zealand's COVID-19 count basically at zero (which is great), it's even more unlikely that the New Zealand government will allow any changes to that.

Furthermore, the Australian government would be silly to even propose the question.

Although the Phoenix have no choice but to stay in their 'hub', the FFA appears to be very strong-minded on avoiding the use of hubs across the country.

In the AFL, several clubs from Western Australia and South Australia are now being forced to temporarily relocate to Queensland. This is to avoid any potential exposure to COVID-19.

In the NRL, one player was found to have potentially been in contact with a primary school kid who had the virus, leading to suggestions that his side's fixtures would need to be postponed again.

The impact that even one A-League player with the virus would have could be catastrophic for the FFA and their plans to restart the season.

Players are now allowed to start training as per usual, starting today Wednesday the 17th of June.

With other competitions around the country starting up again, now is an ideal time for the FFA to get the ball rolling. It will also be a good test of how well the A-League performs compared to its winter counterparts.

The A-League, as we all know is played during our summer and hopefully, with renewed interest, it can showcase itself well against the likes of the AFL or the NRL.

Nevertheless, we think it's safe to say that we're just glad to have live sports back as we start to creep back into normality.

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The Australia-New Zealand bid to co-host the 2023 Women’s World Cup has been rated the best by FIFA, according to the governing body’s bid evaluation report.

FIFA awarded the Australasian bid 4.1 points from a maximum of five in the report, with contenders Japan scoring 3.9 and Colombia 2.8.

The joint bid was labelled “the most commercially favourable proposition” by FIFA, which will give Australian and New Zealand football fans a sense of belief that a World Cup on home soil may soon be a reality.

FFA Chairman Chris Nikou was pleased with the details of FIFA’s report.

“I am delighted that we have scored so strongly in FIFA’s Bid Evaluation Report and been described as offering ‘the most favourable commercial proposition’,” he said.

“We are confident that our combination of technical excellence, record breaking crowds, commercial certainty, a warm embrace from our 200 different cultures and genuine impact across the region where the legacies will be profound will prove a compelling offer to FIFA and its confederations.

“We are two nations from two confederations, united in proposing a historic and exciting step forward for world football.  It will be a tournament of firsts. The first ever co-confederation hosted FIFA World Cup, the first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup to be held in the Asia-Pacific region, and the first ever to be held in the southern hemisphere."

NZF President Johanna Wood said:

“We hosted a very successful inspection visit (in February) and we are delighted by today’s FIFA Bid Evaluation Report which reinforces our belief that we would host a technically excellent FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.

“The report demonstrates many of our key strengths and we are very pleased to have received the highest overall average score of 4.1 out of 5. If successful, we will place the interests of the greatest female footballers in the world at the centre of everything we do, to deliver a FIFA Women’s World Cup the global football family can be proud of.

“With technical excellence, commercial certainty and a historic tournament of firsts, Australia-New Zealand offers FIFA a unique opportunity to move the dial for women’s football. We have proven this before and can be trusted to achieve this again.

“In addition, we are nations proud of our commitment to equality and fairness and would embody a FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 built on common humanity through football.”

The FIFA Council will decide the host of the 2023 Women’s World Cup on June 25.

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FIFA, football’s global governing body, has introduced its first step of a major relief plan by releasing operational funding to each of its member associations for 2019 and 2020 in an effort to assist football leagues and clubs at all levels during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It's a commitment that will see FIFA distribute $150m (€139m) to all 211 member national governing bodies, with each to receive a minimum of $500,000 to cover operational costs. All remaining entitlements during 2019 and 2020 will be paid in full immediately to help associations with their cashflow, including payments which usually would have depended on certain criteria being met under the Forward 2.0 development programme. 

“[The funds should be] used to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on football, namely to meet financial or operational obligations that they may have towards staff and other third parties.” said FIFA in its statement.

They mentioned that any use of the funds would be audited to make sure they are spent properly, with FIFA keen to avoid the charges of corruption that have dogged the top levels of the sport in recent years. 

The statement added that the release of the funds was possible given FIFA has been able to remain in a strong financial position for the last four years. The governing body has not released its financial results for 2019 yet, but in its statement for 2018 it revealed it was sitting on cash reserves of $2.74bn (€2.42bn) following the four-year cycle which linked up with the end of the most recent FIFA World Cup in Russia.

“The pandemic has caused unprecedented challenges for the entire football community and, as the world governing body, it is Fifa’s duty to be there and support the ones that are facing acute needs," FIFA president Gianni Infantino said.

“This starts by providing immediate financial assistance to our member associations, many of which are experiencing severe financial distress.”

The relief plan will provide some much needed funding to leagues around the world already losing out, with clubs under pressure financially without games being played.

Recently the Eredivisie made the tough decision to void the entire season meaning league leaders Ajax have been denied the title as well as there being no promotion and relegation in the Dutch top flight.

FIFA has confirmed that the next stages of its plan are still being finalised and will be announced in the coming weeks. 

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On February 27th, soccer's worldwide governing body FIFA held a meeting to discuss the potential of banning domestic league fixtures from taking place in other countries.

For example, if Liverpool wished to play Manchester United in a league fixture in the United States of America as opposed to Anfield.

According to ESPN, Article 73 of the FIFA Statutes is what is being revisited. Article 73 states that domestic matches played outside of the league or club's own country can only take place under 'exceptional circumstances' and under authorisation from 'member associations, the respective confederation[s] and by FIFA'.

We have seen this happen sporadically in the past, especially in the UEFA Champions League and Europa League competitions. It's usually a result of fans overstepping their boundaries and believing they're bigger than the game itself.

This actually happened again very recently during Bayern Munich's 6-0 away win at Hoffenheim on Saturday. In the second half, a group of travelling Bayern fans held up expletive signs directed at Hoffenheim owner Dietmar Hopp.

Bayern players and coach Hansi Flick ran across the pitch and pleaded for the signs to be taken down. The fans weren't exactly keen to accommodate their requests.

The game was temporarily stopped in the 77th minute before players eventually returned to the field. In their own protest against the actions of those fans, both sides refused to play for the remaining 13 minutes, instead kicking the ball amongst one another and conversing in the middle of the pitch.

After the final whistle, all players and coaching staff from both teams stood at Hopp's side in front of the Hoffenheim fans and everyone applauded the German billionaire.

These kinds of incidents aren't seen every day in the soccer world and we can be thankful for that. But when these incidents do happen, consequences are laid out for both fans and club alike.

Often, future fixtures are played in empty stadiums. A recent example of this was after the farcical scenes that took place in Bulgaria during their national team's 6-0 loss to the English.

Bulgaria's next home match against the Czech Republic was played in an empty stadium as punishment, as well as a measly 75,000 euro fine.

The full story on this can be found here:

https://www.rferl.org/a/bulgaria-soccer-racism-fined--empty-stadium/30242707.html

However, domestic games being played outside of the home country are rare if ever.

FIFA has decided to look into this following two attempts from Spanish top flight La Liga to host domestic league fixtures in the United States of America.

La Liga is partnered with Relevant Sports, a soccer events and media business based out of California. In an attempt to promote the game on the Western front, they have requested to have games played there in recent times.

Both attempts didn't come to fruition and now FIFA is stepping in to ensure that there is no 'third time lucky'.

From a business perspective, it makes sense as the game would attract a lot more attention, being a fixture played for league points. The best players would be there, giving their all. The stadium would be completely filled out and it would more than likely be a successful venture.

Imagine if it was an 'El Clasico' between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. Except instead of taking place at the Nou Camp or the Santiago Bernabeu, it was played at AT&T Stadium in Dallas.

Soccer fans across the Americas would flock to see the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Ramos and Karim Benzema play for league points.

The FIFA committee has recommended that this ban be implemented and now it may just be a matter of time before it's a reality.

However, whether it's on or off the field, soccer is a funny game and anything can happen. The decision is expected to be finalised on the 20th of March.

What are your thoughts on the potential ban of domestic fixtures being played overseas? Let us know on social media @Soccersceneau

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Socceroos legend Tim Cahill has been unveiled as an official ambassador for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

Alongside footballing greats Xavi, Sameul Eto’o and Cafu, Cahill will be a part of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy for the 2022 event.

The committee hopes to execute various 'legacy projects' after the completion of the 2022 tournament, as well as creating positive social change across the region.

Controversy has surrounded the award process for the 2022 World Cup, with Qatari officials accused of bribery and corruption.

Cahill spoke of his delight at being involved with the program, at his announcement ceremony.

“I think joining the SC family was a natural progression for me,” he said. “I’ve been traveling to Qatar since 2008, so have developed a close relationship [with the country] over the years, so to be part of it, and to share the story of Qatar 2022 is pretty special.”

At the ceremony, SC Secretary General H.E. Hassan Al Thawadi added: “We are delighted to welcome Tim Cahill to our ever-expanding family of renowned ambassadors. Tim’s credentials as a player are indisputable. To have appeared at four separate World Cups puts him in an elite group – one which Xavi, Eto’o and Cafu are also part of. This makes him, and them, a perfect fit for our SC family.”

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Football Federation Australia (FFA) have announced that Group B of the 2020 AFC Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament will be held in Sydney, Australia.

The Matildas will now play games against Chinese Taipei, Thailand and China PR on home soil, with the tournament set to begin next week.

The Asian Football Confederation decided to change the location of the tournament, following the outbreak of the coronavirus in the original host city of Wuhan.

FFA Chairman Chris Nikou is looking forward to hosting the tournament in Australia, despite the circumstances of the decision.

“FFA is happy and willing to organise this Olympic Qualification Tournament, and we look forward to hosting the women’s senior national teams from China PR, Thailand and Chinese Taipei in February.

“The safety of all players, officials and fans is of paramount importance to Football Federation Australia and the Asian Football Confederation, and we are confident we will host a successful tournament here in Sydney.

“I would also like to acknowledge the support of the Australian Government in enabling FFA to host this event at short notice.”

The tournament will be watched closely by FIFA, who is set to make a decision on the host of the 2023 Women’s World Cup in the coming months.

Australia is bidding to co-host the 2023 tournament with New Zealand, with Japan, Brazil and Colombia also still in the running.

Further details on the scheduling of the matches for the qualification tournament will be announced this week.

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Westfield Matildas and Football Ferns players have come together to support the Bid 'As One' for Australia and New Zealand to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Asia-Pacific in 2023.

Australia’s Sam Kerr and New Zealand’s Rosie White spoke about the need to capitalise on the interest for women's football in Asia and Oceania by having both nations receiving dual hosting rights, as per the FFA press release.

Sam Kerr:

“Hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia would be a dream come true for me,” she said.

“There is so much untapped potential, not just in Australia but right across Asia and the Pacific region, that I really do believe we would offer something incredibly special to FIFA.

“I really believe that Australia and New Zealand would be incredible hosts to take the game forward.

“It is also fitting that New Zealand was the Matildas’ first full international opponent 40 years ago and now we are partnering in a Bid to host the biggest women’s sporting tournament on the planet."

Rosie White:

“If New Zealand and Australia were to host a World Cup it would change football in region forever,” she said.

“I had a taste for it with the U-17 Women’s World Cup (in New Zealand) in 2008 and that is, still to this day, one of my favourite memories.

“I could not think of a better opportunity than hosting a World Cup to help women’s football skyrocket in New Zealand – to inspire the next generations and drive investment into our sport.

“New Zealand would be an amazing host for the World Cup – not only are we a hugely popular destination for tourists, but we know we can put on a show. New Zealanders are fantastic at banding together and getting things done, we are known for being amazing hosts.”

The ‘As One’ FIFA Women’s World Cup Bid was announced at AAMI Park in Melbourne on Friday morning just hours before the Official Bid Book was to be submitted to FIFA at their global headquarters in Zurich.

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With the Joeys currently involved in the FIFA U-17’s World Cup, some of Australia’s best young footballers are on show for the first time on the world stage. It is one of the rare opportunities for them to be so. Promising Australian talent is often well and truly distanced from public attention, with few tournaments available for them to show their wares.

All bar one of the U-17’s squad are contracted to professional clubs, with the majority honing their skills at youth level and biding their time before receiving a crack at top flight professional play.

Brisbane Roar’s Izaack Powell and Melbourne Victory’s Birkan Kirdar have both had a taste of the top level, yet for most it is something of a waiting game. That waiting builds frustration and a footballing anxiety to impress.

Such has appeared to be the case for the Joeys in both of their group matches thus far. Jumped early and stunned in the headlights by Ecuador, the young Australians were two goals behind after just nine minutes. There was something of a revival, plenty of possession and a late goal, yet it was a disappointing start to the tournament.

Things began in much the same way against Hungary yesterday. This time it took a little longer, 20 minutes in fact, for a two goal deficit to be established, but the Aussies were once again frantic and energetic without being poised and polished.

Prior to Hungary’s opener in the 14th minute, the Joeys had looked good, really good; seeking to make amends for their opening fixture. However, as soon as the Hungarians found their rhythm, the gaps began to appear and anxiety levels in the Joey’s squad appeared to increase.

What followed was the most stirring of second half comebacks from Australia. A penalty was followed by an equaliser in the 69th and 74th minutes and the Joeys should have won it late. Sadly, the winner did not come and it was to be just a lone point to keep hopes alive in the event.

It appeared clear that the Joey’s lack of experience and competitive opportunities affected their starts to both matches. Once they settled, particularly against Hungary, they looked just fine and the early swagger and confidence prior to going behind returned.

Just three members of the squad ply their trade overseas, with the remainder domestically based and involved in youth structures at A-League or NPL club level.

That essentially equates to players remaining in their home state/city and playing against opposition they know well and on a consistent basis.

A national competition similar to the FFA’s Y-League is required for them to improve, however the financial ramifications would be insurmountable for the clubs. The U-23 League can muster just eight competitive matches for its players; with clubs pooled into regions to restrain costs.

It is an unfortunate curse from which the wide brown land suffers, with airfares, accommodation and equipment expenses making extended national competitions at junior level nigh impossible.

Perhaps the answer lies in FFA supported and federation funded inter-state football, where representative teams from the eight states and territories compete for a national youth championship. School Sport Australia run such tournaments at U-16 and U-18 levels with great success.

Youth level championships would showcase the best young talent available and provide scouts with a centralised venue in which to witness that talent on show. It would expose players to all clubs across the Asian Confederation, something that is becoming increasingly important as the region grows at a rapid speed.

It is a concept that could be implemented across a range of age groups, potentially even as an extension of the U-23 Y-League concept.

It's fundamental goal would be to have young football talent in Australia playing more often against the best opposition available; beyond club land. Forging further corporate connections, streaming inter-state matches and broadening Australia’s reach across Asia are also potential benefits.

As it stands, Australia’s youth squads are blessed with immense talent, yet appear poorly prepared for the rigours of international football. Increasing their domestic opportunities against elite opposition could go some way to improving performances on the world stage.

Of course, organising and funding such opportunities is another thing altogether.

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Former UEFA President and worldwide soccer superstar Michel Platini was today arrested for alleged corruption of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The World Cup, which controversially saw the hosting rights awarded to Qatar in 2010, has come under much scrutiny for this decision leading many to believe that something sinister was going on behind the scenes.

Now seems an unusual time for the story to rise from the ashes back into the limelight. But reports have emerged that there was a meeting between Platini, UEFA officials and Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Crown Prince of Qatar.

The meeting took place a mere ten days prior to the ballot which saw the Middle Eastern country win the hosting rights.

Something else to take into account, however, was that the meeting was used to oversee the Qatari overtake of French football powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain. The deal was made official only a few months later.

It's more than possible that the meeting was purely to discuss the deal and nothing else. But the timing seems too much of a coincidence to not think about.

Some on social media seem to be of this belief.

https://twitter.com/jamess_c9/status/1140913460546613248

https://twitter.com/Fydsy/status/1140920567580770305

It's extremely plausible that discussions were held to see Qatar hold the World Cup, in a manner that would not necessarily be legal.

Perhaps it was part of the deal involving PSG. Qatar agrees to purchase the biggest club in France's capital, in exchange for the hosting rights for the next World Cup.

https://twitter.com/gcooney93/status/1140918172410949632

It's a win-win. Qatar win as they get to host the largest sporting event in the world and take over a very successful football club. Plus, with the amount of money they make, an investment like that wouldn't have set them back too much.

France win as they get to see an already strong club become even stronger and they make enough money to retire on. All they need to do is pull a few strings and everything will be in motion.

Regardless of what actually took place in 2010 and whether Platini, Sepp Blatter and co. orchestrated all this, Platini's arrest is another interesting factor in a story that has garnered so much interest and will continue to do so until the tournament begins.

Corruption. Promises. Broken promises. Human rights. This story has everything. But if one thing's for certain, up until the first match in 2022, Qatar's hosting of the World Cup will be questioned like no other tournament before it. Even more so than Russia in 2018.

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