New Chair for 2021 Powerchair Football World Cup announced

Liam Watson

One of Australia’s prominent former players has agreed to take the position of the Chair in the Local Organising Committee for the 2021 Powerchair Football World Cup held in Sydney during October.

With more than 320 appearances to his name in the former National Soccer League, Andy Harper has become the new chair and adds to a distinguished committee made up of FFA, Football NSW, Hyundai A-League club and Powerchair Football administrators and players.

Within the committee, both CEOs of the Sydney based clubs, John Tsatsimas and Danny Townsend,  are key members. There is also highly-respected local sports lawyer Stuart Corbishley supporting the committee after recently going to the 2018 Invictus Games.

The Powerchair Football World Cup will be held at the Quay Centre in October 2021 and will involve around 10 countries from around the world.

Harper’s appointment as Chair is something that is proud to be leading the way with.

“I’m thrilled to be involved with this inspirational group of people, he said.

“Powerchair football is great to watch, certainly, but the character, passion, determination and perseverance of the players and their support networks is really the most outstanding thing.

“As well as acknowledging and supporting this part of Australia’s football family, the 2021 Powerchair Football World Cup will importantly generate increased empathy for those football lovers amongst us who face acute and very specific challenges every day of their lives.”

The following names are all those who currently have a place on the committee:

  • Andy Harper (Committee Chair)
  • Peter Turnbull (Australia Powerchair Football Association)
  • Matt Cross (Australia Powerchair Football Association)
  • Michael Keyte (Australia Powerchair Football Association)
  • Martin Dalrymple (Australia Powerchair Football Association)
  • Jacob Cross (Australia Powerchair Football Association)
  • Chris Suffield (Australia Powerchair Football Association)
  • Stuart Corbishley (Corbishley Law)
  • John Tsatsimas (Western Sydney Wanderers)
  • Danny Townsend (Sydney FC)
  • Peter Hugg (Football NSW)
  • Charlotte Ercil (Football NSW)
  • Aaron Dibdin (Football NSW)
  • Matt Rippon (Football Federation Australia)

The addition of Harper to this panel comes at a very important time as the World Cup preparations are already underway.

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Female Football Week kicks off across Northern NSW

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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

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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.

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