The PFA is pleased to announce that Matildas legend and PFA Vice President Lydia Williams will transition into a new role within the organisation.
Williams will switch from her representative position on the PFA’s Executive Committee to the organisation’s staff team in Melbourne, as a Player Relations Executive.
The 103-match Matilda will join the PFA staff team with a focus on supporting the player association’s Matildas and A-League Women members and advancing their collective interests.
Commenting on her new role, Williams said: “I’m incredibly proud to continue my journey with the PFA.
“As a player I saw first-hand how powerful solidarity and unity can be and I look forward to continuing to play my part in ensuring that Australian football can achieve its enormous potential.
“The current generation of players have an enormous opportunity, through their talent and shared experiences, to drive the success of game and I look forward to playing my part.”
Williams, who announced her retirement from international football earlier this year, has been an advocate for player rights through representative roles with the PFA.
Williams became the second woman to sit on the PFA board in 2015, progressing to Vice President in September last year.
The 36-year-old was a central figure in the Matildas’ 2015 strike which led to better pay and conditions for female footballers and made her the face of player advocacy in Australia.
That action laid the foundations for the Matildas to secure pay parity through the 2019 National Teams Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), and most recently delivered a new economic model within the 2023 National Teams CBA that ensures Australian football keeps pace with the accelerating improvement in conditions in global football.
Williams will continue her playing career in the A-League Women with Melbourne Victory. The 2024/25 season commences on Saturday 2 November, with Victory travelling for an away fixture against Adelaide United at ServiceFM Stadium.
PFA Chair, Francis Awaritefe, welcomed Williams into her new role: “Lydia has been a pioneer not only on the field but at the negotiating table in historic agreements for the Socceroos, Matildas and A-Leagues. Her leadership has paved the way for positive progress for football in Australia.
“As players’ careers evolve on the pitch, we want to ensure they also have opportunities to stay involved and deliver ongoing impact off it, so we are delighted that Lydia will continue her work with the PFA in a new role.
“She will no doubt approach it with the same passion, drive and ambition she displayed in her position on the PFA’s Executive.”
Williams represented Australia at five FIFA Women’s World Cups, six AFC Women’s Asian Cups, two Olympic Games Women’s Football Tournaments, and the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
