Craig Foster explains where Anthony Albanese must invest to improve football facilities and access in Australia after Matildas' historic FIFA World Cup campaign
Craig Foster has precisely outlined how Prime Minister Anthony Albanese must invest funds to improve facilities and access for young children wanting to play football in Australia.
Former Socceroo Craig Foster has added to the calls for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Football Australia to construct a long-term plan to improve the sport’s facilities and opportunities in the country.
Off the back of the Matildas' historic semi-final loss to England at the FIFA Women’s World Cup on Wednesday there has been widespread support for a major injection of funding for the game.
During the Matildas' World Cup campaign Australians packed out stadiums, smashed TV rating records and filed into live sites around the country.
Foster told Sky News Australia on Thursday morning that Football Australia must create a plan up to 20 years into the future before presenting it to the prime minister.
The first step he said was ending the “infrastructure deficit” by building women’s changerooms, basic facilities and even fields which he claimed could cost upwards of $500 million.
“That’s not with the 20 per cent uplift that is forecast after this World Cup which is another 400,000 kids,” he told AM Agenda host Laura Jayes.
Foster then called on fans to support the domestic leagues in Australia by going to stadiums to watch their local teams.
“We need you all to support our domestic game we have to make it thrive, if it thrives the game will thrive and that means we’re able to invest in the kids,” he said.
“That means get out your phone and join an A-League women’s and men’s they’re the same clubs, join those clubs become a member and come with us into the stadium let’s get 40, 50, 60, 70,000 people into the stadium for our local games.”
Another issue facing the game in Australia mentioned by Foster is the financial burdens for families with registration and kits costing up to a few hundred dollars per player.
“Sport Australia has a sports schools program and I know Football Australia are talking to them about further funding but the cost to play is prohibitive in football,” Foster said.
“We need in primary schools all across the country the opportunity for every child to be able to dream to be Sam Kerr and that’s girls and boys.
“Funding at grassroots level is critically important, providing opportunities for every kid to not just play but to dream.”
Despite it having some of the highest participation rates, football in Australia receives comparatively low federal funding.
In the 2023-24 financial year the Australian Sports Commission has earmarked $5.3 million compared to $8 million for basketball, $6.7 million for hockey, $10 million for cycling and $11 million for rowing.
Mr Albanese has not committed to any improvement in funding but had voiced support for a public holiday should the Matildas make it all the way to the final.
After Wednesday's defeat the Prime Minister shared a tweet congratulating the Matildas on their best performance at a World Cup but the post was flooded with fans calling on him to pledge further funding.
“The perfect place to start? Look at the England set-up. Study it. Research it. Copy it. We made a semi-final with no government support or $. Imagine what we could do with it,” one said.
“The best way you could support the team? Increase funding for the sport, make it easier, cheaper for families to register their kids in the future so the next generation of Kerrs, Fowlers, Gorry’s all can play,” another person wrote.
“Fund the infrastructure for future Matildas @AlboMP,” added a third.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton slammed the public holiday proposal and instead pledged $250 million to “deliver long-term benefits by boosting female participation in sport and supporting grassroots sport in our country”.
After their 3-1 loss against England in the World Cup semi-final the Matildas captain, Sam Kerr, said it was time female footballers get their fair share of funding.
“You know, comparison to other sports isn’t really good enough and hopefully this tournament kind of changes that because that’s the legacy you leave, not what you do on the pitch,” Kerr said after the game on Wednesday night.
“The legacy is what you do off the pitch. Hopefully. I mean, it’s hard to talk about now, but hopefully that this is the start of something new.”
Football Australia’s 2022 participation report saw an eight per cent increase from the year before with 1,528,395 participants across the sport and that number is expected to grow again after this World Cup.