NSW state sporting organisations reach agreement over facilities

Philip Panas12/06/2020 6:00 am11/06/2020

The major NSW state sporting organisations have come to a collective agreement in regards to community sport.

Football NSW, Cricket NSW, NSW Rugby League, NSW Rugby Union and AFL NSW/ACT have all accepted a proposal which will give their sports appropriate access to shared grounds and facilities.

Under the agreement, the winter football codes will complete their community competitions no later than October 11 of this year, with summer community cricket competitions to finish by April 5 of next year.

Participants will work together to oversee any exceptions to ground access, as well as agreed season changeovers.

CEOs of the state sporting organisations, including Football NSW’s Stuart Hodge, released a joint statement about the latest developments.

“This show of unity and collaboration comes during a period of dramatic impact for sport in our State,” the CEOs said on Thursday.

“In NSW, bush fires, smoke, heat and floods all contributed to a significant loss of cricket matches before COVID-19 forced the cancellation of most finals.

“Likewise, COVID-19 has cost the football codes up to half their seasons.

“We all know how important it is to our communities to be able to play sport at all ages and all levels. The intent of this agreement is that we want to provide the opportunity for girls and boys, women and men, to play the sport they love this season, whilst supporting the many volunteers who give so much to our respective community sporting clubs and associations.

“This agreement clearly puts community sport as the central focus of all the sporting codes.

“We collectively thank local councils, the sporting community and our incredible volunteers for their patience and ongoing support. We are committed to providing a safe and carefully managed environment – now let’s all get back on the field and enjoy our sport.”

The community sports agreement can be viewed in full here.

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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.