Football Australia transforms its premier annual youth championships

Football Australia has introduced a new name, identity and vision for its National Youth Championships - the Emerging Matildas Championships and Emerging Socceroos Championships.

The new Championships will serve as the premier talent identification and development platforms in Australian football, shaping future generations and strengthening Australia’s high-performance pathways.

By aligning directly with the journey toward senior national team representation through the CommBank Matildas and Subway Socceroos, the new identity enhances the Championships' visibility, credibility, and impact within both the domestic and global football landscape.

With the FIFA U-17 World Cups now an annual competition, these Championships will play a pivotal role in preparing and selecting Australia’s best young talent to compete at the highest international level.

Former Matilda and Football Australia’s Chair of the Football Development Committee, Heather Garriock advised the launch of the Emerging Matildas Championships and Emerging Socceroos Championships was spearheaded by a revitalised Football Development Committee – comprising former Matildas, Socceroos, and leading performance experts.

Garriock added “it signals a renewed focus, commitment, and investment across every stage of our development and performance pathways. Far more than a name change, these Championships embody our shared ambition, innovation, and pursuit of excellence – the very qualities that define the CommBank Matildas and Subway Socceroos. By aligning their values and objectives with those of our senior national teams, we are creating clear, structured pathways that allow young players to follow in their heroes’ footsteps while receiving the resources, support, and education they need to thrive.

“This evolution lays the foundational pillars that will help Australia become a strong developer of world-class talent, ensuring our emerging players grow in an environment that fosters both high performance and personal development. Uniting the football community behind this vision creates a world-class platform for identifying and guiding future stars of the game. We are incredibly proud of this initiative and excited about what it means for the future of Australian football.

Football Australia Chief Executive James Johnson emphasised “the launch of the Emerging Matildas Championships and Emerging Socceroos Championships marks a defining moment for Australian football. This is more than a name change – it is a fundamental shift in how we develop, identify, educate and nurture the future stars of our game. By aligning these Championships with our national teams, investing in player and coach development, and fostering a high-performance culture, we are creating a world-class pathway for our best young talent to thrive on the international stage.”

Development & Education

As part of the evolution, Football Australia will introduce a series of workshops and seminars, aimed at equipping the nation’s best emerging players, along with coaches, support staff and match officials with the tools needed to excel both on and off the field. These sessions will be progressively integrated between 2025 and 2028 inclusive, aiming to cover key topics such as:

• Athlete Wellbeing & Mental Resilience

• Nutrition & Performance Optimisation

• Injury Prevention & Rehabilitation

• Leadership & Teamwork Development

• Time Management & Balancing Sport & Academics

• Social Media & Brand Management

• Sport Integrity & Anti-Doping Education

Technical Excellence & Talent Identification

• Data-Driven Performance Analysis – Advanced player testing and technical gap analysis to refine talent development.

• Expanded Competition Formats – Enhancing the tournament structure to mirror high-performance environments.

• National Talent Identification Strategy – Standardised selection principles across Member Federations to ensure best-practice scouting and recruitment.

• Awards & Incentives – Expanding the tournament’s recognition system, introducing categories such as Golden Boot, Fair Play Award, and Player of the Final to further motivate excellence.

Strengthening Governance & Global Engagement

• National & International Keynote Presentations

• Member Federation Presidents & CEO Forums

• FIFA Football Agent Examination

• Regulatory & Integrity Seminars

Details on this year’s Emerging Matildas and Emerging Socceroos Championships will be revealed shortly.