(FFA) is the governing body for the sport of
Football (soccer) in
Australia . Before
1 January 2005 , it was known as the '''Australian Soccer Association''' (ASA), which succeeded '''Soccer Australia''' in this role in
2003 .
Among other duties, the FFA oversees Australia's national football teams (including the
Socceroos (men), the
Matildas (women), and various youth teams); national coaching programmes; coordination with the various state and territory governing bodies; and the national club competition. Until 2004 the national competition was the
National Soccer League ; the FFA launched a new national league in 2005, the
A-League .
-
2003 ]]
Following the collapse of the previous governing body, Soccer Australia, the
Australian Government established an independent inquiry, known as the
Crawford Report . This report recommended, among other things, the reconstitution of the body as the Australia Soccer Association (ASA) with an interim board, headed by prominent businessman
Frank Lowy . The ASA renamed itself in
2005 to align with the general international usage of the word "
Football ", in preference to "soccer", and to also distance itself from the failings of the old
National Soccer League and Soccer Australia. It termed the phrase "old soccer, new football" to emphasise this.
On instead of previously having to go through a sudden-death play-off, as well as providing access to the
AFC Champions League for the A-League clubs.
FFA is associated with the various state and territory football bodies. These include:
