Football Victoria welcomes funding from VicHealth

Liam Watson10/07/2020 6:00 am04/08/2021

Football Victoria has welcomed the news that VicHealth will be distributing funds to clubs and associations in Victoria, as they all continue to face the ongoing challenges related to COVID-19.

VicHealth’s latest round of Active Club Grant funding will see 16 Victorian football clubs and three associations being awarded a total of more than $65,000 in funding.

These grants are able to support grassroots clubs and to create new opportunities for the local community to get active, with Football Victoria encouraging more Victorians to get involved in the game.

VicHealth’s Active Club Grants continue to significantly add to the improvement of overall health in less active Victorians. The grants are designed to generate more opportunities for everyone to safely participate in sport. The particular focus is to include those people who may not have the same opportunities as others.

VicHealth targets all relevant areas of how Victorians can improve their health and wellbeing, including promoting healthy eating, encouraging regular physical activity, preventing tobacco use, preventing harm from alcohol and improving someone’s mental health.

Football Victoria has thanked VicHealth for their ongoing commitment and support to grassroots and congratulated each football club and association on becoming the latest recipients of VicHealth’s vital funds.

Unfortunately, club football activities have been postponed for at least six weeks as Victorian State Premier Daniel Andrews reimposed Stage 3 restrictions throughout metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire Council.

The restrictions came into effect at 11:59pm on Wednesday July 8 and activities such as matches, training, clinics and group practice must be halted in these sections of the state. Victorians can still do solitary exercise as one of just four reasons they should be leaving their home.

At this stage, football activities can continue away from the lockdown areas, but Football Victoria will closely monitor the situation to assess the next steps if the situation escalates.

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Female Football Week kicks off across Northern NSW

Declan Chan12/05/2026 6:05 am11/05/2026

Image Credit: Shutterstock

Female Football Week has officially begun across Northern NSW, with a program of gala days, networking events and awards ceremonies running until Sunday May 17, marking a ten-day celebration that organisers say reflects both the growth of women’s football in the region and the work still required to sustain it.

The national initiative, now a fixture on the football calendar, provides a dedicated period of visibility for female participants across all levels of the game from players, coaches, referees to volunteers, whose contributions have historically received less recognition than their male counterparts.

NNSWF Participation and Women’s Football Officer Serena Carter said the week offered something for everyone connected to women’s football in the region.

“Female Football Week provides a fantastic chance to highlight the dedication and skill of female players, coaches, referees and volunteers across the northern NSW community,” Carter said. “There’s something for everyone to enjoy, from grassroots participants to elite competitors.”

Women’s football in northern NSW spans remote and regional communities where clubs operate on limited resources, alongside more established metropolitan programs with clearer development pathways. Female Football Week creates a moment of shared recognition across that spectrum and acknowledges the role volunteers play, from running the canteen to progressing through the pathway.

Northern NSW Football has recorded some of its strongest participation numbers in women’s and girls’ football in recent seasons, a trend that has placed increasing pressure on clubs and facilities to keep pace. The week’s events offer clubs an opportunity to showcase their commitment to diversity and inclusion at a time when that commitment is being tested by growth.

Football NNSW Releases Infrastructure Strategies as Participation Growth Outpaces Facilities

Declan Chan11/05/2026 6:05 am10/05/2026

Image Credit: Shutterstock

Northern NSW Football has unveiled bespoke infrastructure strategies for each of its seven member zones, providing an evidence-based roadmap for facility investment across the region as continued participation growth exposes critical gaps in the sporting infrastructure available to support it.

The Member Zone Infrastructure Strategies draw on data across participation rates, population growth and existing facility conditions to map what each zone has, what it needs and where investment will have the greatest impact. Identified gaps include drainage, lighting and inclusive changerooms – the foundational infrastructure that determines whether facilities are functional, safe and accessible year-round.

NNSWF Government Relations Manager Gary Fisher said the strategies represented a significant step toward smarter, more targeted investment across the region.

“By bringing together key data on participation, population growth and existing infrastructure, these strategies give us a stronger understanding of where the needs are greatest and where investment will have the most impact,” Fisher said. “Ultimately we want to create more inclusive and accessible environments for everyone involved in the game while building stronger, more sustainable clubs and communities for the future.”

Northern NSW Football has previously noted that participation across the region is at record levels and still rising, with women’s and girls’ football a significant driver of that growth. Infrastructure that was built for a smaller and less diverse participation base is increasingly unable to meet current demand, let alone accommodate future growth.

The strategies are also designed to strengthen NNSWF’s alignment with government funding priorities, providing the evidence base needed to support grant applications and long-term facility planning across all seven zones.