Mitre confirmed as Official Match Ball Partner for the A-Leagues

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Image supplied by Australian Professional Leagues

The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) has announced Mitre as the A-Leagues’ new Official Match Ball Partner for the next three seasons, switching over from Nike. 

Mitre, an English sports equipment manufacturer based in Wakefield, has a leading brand with a storied history dating back to 1817. With over 200 years of experience in the game, Mitre has continually delivered high-performance footballs to major leagues and tournaments around the world.

The brand has served as the official ball supplier for many competitions including the English Football Association, the FA Cup, the Australia Cup, and the Australia National Soccer League. 

The new partnership will see Mitre and the A-Leagues launch the official design of the match ball for the 2024/25 season, along with special edition match balls planned for the season. Also, there will be an A-League Final series match ball for both the A-League Men’s and Women’s competitions.

For this upcoming season, Mitre will introduce the Ultimax Pro as the official match ball of the A-Leagues. The Ultimax Pro is an iconic and much-loved Mitre football, that utilises contemporary modern styling with cutting-edge football technology to deliver exceptional performance.

A-Leagues Chief Commercial Officer Ned Negus commented on Mitre being welcomed as Official Match Ball Partner:

“Mitre is such a historic brand with strong football credibility, so they’re the perfect partner to deliver our official Isuzu UTE A-League Men and Liberty A-League Women match balls,” he said in a media statement on the A-Leagues website. 

“At a time when A-Leagues is putting football and fans first, Mitre is best placed to deliver a uniquely designed range of Ultimax Pro official match balls and a broad retail range offering more fans the opportunity to engage with A-Leagues and football.”

Mitre Brand Director, Simon Rowe, expressed his excitement about the three-year partnership and Mitre’s contribution to the A-Leagues:

“We’re thrilled to kick off our partnership with the Australian Professional Leagues. Our top-level Mitre Ultimax Pro is the perfect ball for the A-League, built for elite players and delivering ultimate power, accuracy, and on-pitch performance,” he added via A-Leagues website. 

“Globally, Mitre continues to lead the way in ball development and technology. We are excited to partner with the pinnacle of professional football in Australia and New Zealand. Core to our brand values is providing balls for all levels of the game so we’re delighted to offer the supporting replica and training range so all fans and players can play like pros.” 

Mitre Australia’s Gerrard Woods, added about the new partnership:

“We are delighted to support the A-Leagues as they embark on their new season. Our footballs have been tested at the highest levels of the game, and we are confident that they will contribute to the dynamic and engaging football that the A-Leagues are known for,” he said in a statement via the A-Leagues website. 

Mitre will also offer four replica variations inspired by the Ultimax Pro, catering to different skill levels and price points, making footballs accessible for all.

These variations will be launched in late August and will be available at leading sporting retailers around Australia, which will enable fans and players to experience the look and feel of the new ball designs for this upcoming A-Leagues season.

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Victory unites with Roasting Warehouse in culture-led partnership

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Image credit: Melbourne Victory

The Melbourne-based anf family-owned business will join the Victory family, uniting two institutions which represent the city’s culture and identity.

A partnership with local roots

As the newest partner of Melbourne Victory, Roasting Warehouse joins forces with a vital part of the city’s sporting landscape.

The club’s Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, outlined why the partnership bears so much value to both parties.

“We are excited to collaborate with Roasting Warehouse, a community-oriented destination for high-quality coffee, proud of its foundations in Melbourne,” said Carnegie via official media release.

“Football and coffee sit at the epicentre of Melbourne’s culture. The two go hand-in-hand, consistently at the centre of the conversation that stirs Melburnians, which is no different to the conversation sport and Melbourne Victory stir in the State.”

Indeed, this is a partnership which combines the identity, passions and culture of an entire city, therefore giving it the foundations required for long-term, mutual success.

Representing the best of Melbourne

Both Victory and Roasting Warehouse are hugely successful in their respective industries. They are institutions with community-oriented philosphies, who pride themselves on craft and quality.

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Melbourne Victory, a club that represents the heart, passion, and ambition of Melbourne,” revealed Roasting Warehouse Head of Brand, Alexander Paraskevopoulos.

“As a Melbourne-founded, family-run business, supporting a team that means so much to the local community feels very natural for us.”

Furthermore, through their high-quality blends, Roasting Warehouse will look to prepare Victory’s players and staff for high performances on the pitch as the seasons nears completion.

But this is about far more than just fueling athletes.

This is a partnership which embodies and unites two of Melbourne’s greatest strengths and cultural markers – a connection forged from the city’s very own DNA.

 

For more information about Roasting Warehouse, click here.

Marie-Louise Eta makes history as new Union Berlin head coach

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Image credit: FC Union Berlin

In an historic appointment, Eta will take over as head coach of Union Berlin until the end of the season.

History in the making

Previously the first female assistant coach in Bundesliga history with Union Berlin, Eta will now take the reigns of the men’s first team on an interim basis.

Currently, the club sit in 11th place in the Bundesliga table, but with only two wins so far in 2026, relegation appears an all-too-real prospect, and one which the club is desperate to avoid.

“Given the points gap in the lower half of the table, our place in the Bundesliga is not yet secure,” said Eta via official media release.

‘I am delighted that the club has entrusted me with this challenging task. One of Union’s strengths has always been, and remains, the ability to pull together in such situations.”

Eta will begin as Union’s new head coach with immediate effect, and will be in the dugout for the club’s matchup against Wolfsburg this weekend.

 

A step into an equal future

Eta’s appointment signals a major step towards a more level playing field in the football landscape.

Furthermore, Eta joins other coaches including Sabrinna Wittmann, Hannah Dingley and Corinne Diacre who, in recent years, have blazed a trail for female coaches to step into the men’s game.

Wittmann currently manages FC Ingolstadt in Germany’s third division, and was the first female head coach in Germany’s top three divisions.

In 2023, Dingley became caretaker manager of Forest Green Rovers, and thus the first woman to lead a men’s professional team in England.

Diacre, now head coach of France’s women’s national team, managed Ligue 2’s Clerment Foot between 2014 and 2017.

 

Final thoughts

The impact therefore, is that Eta’s appointment will show future generations of aspiring female coaches that men’s football is an equally viable and possible pathway as the women’s game.

The time is now to level the playing field.

And while it may be a short-term role, its effect on attitudes towards equality and fair opportunities in the game will hopefully resonate long after the season ends.

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