7 August 2018, 12 Noon AEST – Australia: With permission from FIFA, the members of the FIFA and AFC mandated Australian Congress Review Working Group (CRWG), today made public the report and recommendations for the future governance of football in Australia.

You can read the report in full by clicking here. 

The publication of the report was made in the interest of transparency and good governance and in order for the whole of the Australian Football Family to understand the consensus that had been reached on its behalf by the multi-stakeholder working group.

The CRWG report was published on the respective web sites of CRWG Member organisations and provided to relevant news organisations in Australia.

The one hundred page report was submitted to FIFA and the AFC by the required deadline of July 31, 2018 and will now be presented to the FIFA Member Associations Committee at its next meeting on 20 August 2018.

At the time of the submission of the report to FIFA and the AFC Judith Griggs, Chair of the CRWG said “I would like to thank all the members of the CRWG for their extremely hard work and constant engagement over the last seven weeks, since my appointment as Chair.  Their collaboration, vision, passion and dedication to football in Australia has led to this comprehensive report and its recommendations.

My sincere appreciation also, to all of the stakeholder groups: from professionals to amateurs; from officials to fans; from all levels of clubs, youth groups, indigenous programs and women’s groups; all dedicated knowledge, time and energy to this process.

Finally, my thanks to the professionals at FIFA, AFC and the FFA for their commitment to creating a brighter future for football in Australia.”

Quotes attributable to the following PFA Executive Members:

Socceroos captain Mile Jedinak:

“I know how lucky I have been to have experienced every part of football in Australia. From being a part of a community club to the professional game then having the honour of captaining our country at the World Cup. To me, the strength of football in Australia is its community. If we can build our sport, in a unified way, tying together everyone’s knowledge and passion, there’s no limit to what we can achieve.

“This model is the first step toward achieving that ambition – not only because its inclusive but the fact it has been developed by harnessing the knowledge of so many different people across our game. From grassroots clubs, to supporters, to professional teams to state federations to the players. The PFA was proud to have been involved in this process”

PFA President Alex Wilkinson:

“I’ve been part of the A-League since the very first season and seen it evolve. There was a time when we needed absolute support but the competitions – both the A-League and the W-League – are now ready and mature enough to step out on their own.

“What this Report has proposed is a plan to ensure all areas of the sport will be stronger. Not only the professional leagues, but also the national teams and development pathways; as each stakeholder will be able to contribute to building the league and then focusing on their own areas of expertise.”

Matildas co-captain Lydia Williams:

“Being a player, you invest so much of your life and your livelihood in football. There’s so many decisions that are made that effect you. So often you have very little say in those decisions but you also have no capacity to hold people to account if those decisions adversely impact on your life. As players, you are held to account every day, every week and every season. I think the Report ensures that everybody within the game now has a voice and is accountable to each other which, in the long term, can only be a positive as it will force us to get better.”

Deputy Chief Executive and former Matildas co-captain Kate Gill:

“Having played around the world for so long, I’ve seen first-hand the opportunities available to women’s football, but also the leadership opportunities that need to be available women in football. The Report does a great job of promoting these areas and ensuring that developing women’s football is done authentically and seen as an investment in building the entire sport across the country.”