Latest News

Back to Latest News back

 

Football welcomes recognition as Australia’s top participation sport

Football welcomes recognition as Australia’s top participation sport
December 9, 2016

Football Federation Australia (FFA) has welcomed the release of independent Australian Sports Commission (ASC) figures that show football is Australia’s largest club-based participation sport.

Independent data released in the ASC’s Ausplay survey (LINK) reveals that more than a million men, women, boys and girls are playing football, significantly more than any other club-based sport.

Commenting on the findings, FFA Chief Executive David Gallop stated “football is Australia’s most popular club-based participation sport for adults and children because it is the most inclusive and accessible.

“Everyone is welcome in football regardless of gender, age, ability or background.

“Football is also the biggest global sport with the world’s highest profile players and competitions and the planet’s biggest event, the FIFA World Cup.

“The combination of local accessibility and global interest is attracting more and more Australians.”

Gallop said the growth of the Hyundai A-League and the Westfield W-League was providing pathways for more Australian juniors to pursue a professional career while giving Australian and New Zealand fans a high quality league of their own.

“There has been a lot said recently about the emergence of opportunities for women in sport and we applaud these developments.”

Released yesterday, the AusPlay survey shows 1,086,986 Australians participating in football.

The AusPlay figures, produced following interviews with over 20,000 adults, including more than 3,800 parents/guardians of children aged up to 14 years, show marked differences from figures claimed by sports including cricket.

In August, Cricket Australia claimed it was the nation’s most popular sport, with 1,311,184 people playing it last year.

At the time, Cricket Australia Chief Exectuive James Sutherland crowed that “cricket is clearly the sport of choice for many Australians.”

However, AusPlay figures show the sport has 562,000 people, which suggests that only half of Cricket Australia’s claimed participants go to the trouble of signing up with a club

Similarly, at the beginning of the year, the AFL has released figures that showed more than 3.2 million Australians participated in Aussie rules football in 2015.

By contrast, the AusPlay figures show AFL had 635,627 participants.

Gallop said the Ausplay survey was an important initiative by the Australian Sports Commission, concluding “ultimately sport is about fun, fitness and friendships.

“It helps shape us as individuals and as a society. This work by the Sports Commission provides evidence and insights that will tell us what we need to do to keep the next generation healthy and active.” 

More information on AusPlay can be found at www.clearinghouseforsport.gov.au/research/smi/ausplay/results

Images: Youth football action from the Play Station 4 NPL NSW Men's competition in 2016 (top) and David Gallop (below)

8th December 2016 - LANDMARK STUDY FINDS SPORT STRUGGLING TO KEEP YOUTH ENGAGED

26th November 2016 - 160,000 VICTORIANS PLAY AFL IN 2016

23rd August 2016 - VICTORIA HOME TO SECOND HIGHEST CRICKET PARTICIPATION IN AUSTRALIA

4th January 2016 - AFL CLAIMS MASSIVE GROWTH IN PARTICIPATION IN 2015

8th December 2015 - FFA SURVEY SHOWS BOOM IN FOOTBALL PARTICIPATION

5th December 2015 - AUSTRALIAN SPORTS COMMISSION SURVEY AIMS TO DRIVE FUTURE SPORT AND RECREATION POLICY

24th November 2015 - FOOTBALL OVERTAKES SWIMMING TO BECOME AUSTRALIA’S MOST POPULAR SPORT FOR CHILDREN


Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.

 

supplier directory

The Complete Guide to Leisure Industry Products & Services.

See the directory see all

The P.A. People

The P.A. People is a specialist integrator and contractor in sound reinforcement, audio visual systems, performance lighting and production communications. Over its almost 50 year history the company…

read more

Entertainment / Events / Sport / Technology / Venues

 
 

Abel Sports

INTRODUCTION Abel Sports is Australia’s leading manufacturer and suppliers of Goal Posts, sports ground safety netting systems and coaches boxes for Stadiums ,Sports Clubs, Councils and…

read more

Recreation / Sport / Venues

 
 

Parkequip

Parkequip is an approved supplier under the NSW LGP Contract 308 for a range of products including play equipment, shade, shelters, safe fall, park furniture and school outdoor seating. All materials…

read more

Fitness / Parks / Play / Recreation / Surfaces

 
 

Pricemark Pty Ltd

Pricemark supplies a wide range of custom branded membership & RFID access products for the Health & Leisure Industry. 

read more

Access

 
 

SWIMPLEX AQUATICS

Swimplex Aquatics are a world-class company dedicated to the commercial pool, waterslide industry. We are Australian market leaders servicing all states Australia wide. Swimplex provide a full…

read more

Aquatics / Attractions / Design / Play / Waterparks

 
 

PaySmart

Headquartered in Brisbane with an Australia-wide network of satellite offices, PaySmart is one of Australia’s largest and longest-standing direct debit billing companies. In 1996 we began…

read more

Access / Billing / Fitness / Technology

 
 

Goplay Commercial Playground Equipment

Goplay designs and manufactures specialised playground equipment for indoor play centres, hotels, food chains, clubs and resorts. If our years of experience and dedication have taught us one thing,…

read more

Play

 
 

AIS Water

AIS Water, the trading name of Australian Innovative Systems, is a multi-award winning, Australian owned leader in the design, production and supply of commercial and residential chlorine generators…

read more

Aquatics / Safety / Technology

 
 
 
 

get listed with our suppliers directory

Get your business noticed in our targeted directory. Viewed by 10,000 industry professionals per week!

list your business