Football Federation Australia (‘FFA’) continues to work closely with the A-League and W-League Clubs (the ‘Clubs’) as the unbundling process continues towards a new model for Australia’s Professional Leagues, in line with the in-principle agreement entered into in 2019 and endorsed by the New Leagues Working Group, the body mandated by the FFA Congress to create recommendations for the optimal future of Australia’s Professional Football Leagues.
In deference to the in-principle agreement, FFA has gradually implemented practical changes to give the Clubs and its representative body, the Australian Professional Football Clubs Association (‘APFCA’), more operational control. For the Clubs and the APFCA, this has included assuming control over the negotiation with Professional Footballers Australia (‘PFA’) of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (‘CBA’) for the Professional Leagues. This change has seen the APFCA assume the role of ‘employer representative’ and negotiator on behalf of the Clubs directly with PFA, who represent the player group on CBA matters. FFA has taken a more traditional ‘regulator’ role in the negotiations.
This is a step process toward the unbundling of the Professional Leagues from FFA. In time, the Clubs will have operational control of the Professional Leagues that has been sought and debated for many years now. This will place Australia consistent with global football frameworks where the Professional Leagues operate as a separate entity under the umbrella of the National Federation.
FFA are actively monitoring the negotiations between the APFCA and PFA and remains committed to supporting the parties in these negotiations. As FFA continues to monitor these negotiations, if the parties cannot reach agreement, FFA will enter the negotiations at the appropriate time.
FFA retains the role of negotiating the CBA directly with PFA relating to Australia’s National Teams, the Westfield Matildas and Socceroos.
