What an exciting weekend full of colour, joy, smiles and of course, FOOTBALL!

The Football Futures Foundation had the fantastic opportunity to showcase its inclusive programs across the March long weekend at the FIFA Unity Pitch held at Scarborough Amphitheatre. A HUGE thank you to everyone who joined in with the programs and supported the foundation. It was a great way to start celebrating the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 coming to Perth/Boorloo this July!

Click here to read more about the Football Futures Foundation involvement with the FIFA Unity Pitch in Perth.

Football Futures Foundation Representatives meet FIFA delegation at Unity Pitch

The Football Futures Foundation had the unique opportunity to meet with FIFA’s Chief Women’s Football Officer Sarai Bareman and Football Australia’s Head of Women’s Football Sarah Walsh at the Unity Pitch in Perth/Boorloo last week.

The meeting coincided with International Women’s Day, showcasing the Unity Pitch and promoted the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup. It also provided an opportunity for Foundation representatives to share their insights and discuss the barriers and challenges low participation groups face in accessing soccer opportunities.

The Foundation’s Executive Officer, Brent Hedley, expressed his appreciation for the work done by FIFA and Tourism Western Australia to activate the week and the strong partnership between Football Futures Foundation and Football West. Hedley also highlighted the Foundation’s commitment to using soccer as a tool for social change and inclusion, and its efforts to provide safe and supportive environments for young girls and women to pursue their dreams of playing soccer at any level.

The meeting was attended by a diverse group of Foundation representatives, including Katelyn Smith, Jessie Bonzas, Saudi Omar, Mahliet Gebrekiristos, and Alex Parker. Chair Nick Tana and Directors Ivy Chen and James Curtis were also present to experience the special occasion.

Bareman’s strong interest in female participation within the Foundation’s programs was evident, and she was impressed by the diverse group of people who lead programming in Indigenous and culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Representatives discussed the importance of providing safe and supportive environments to play and learn and how the upcoming Women’s World Cup inspired young girls and women to pursue their dreams of playing soccer.

Hedley described the experience as surreal, and the Foundation’s team was grateful for the opportunity to communicate their passion for the game and its capacity to transform lives. The team’s commitment to achieving bigger things going forward was further motivated by the opportunity to deliver over 10 hours of community programming on the Unity Pitch over the recent long weekend.