Football Australia has unveiled the 24 players invited to attend a domestic selection camp in Sydney for the Australia Women’s National Futsal Team. Among those invited is Greek Australian Demi Koulizakis.

Miles Downie – who has been appointed by Football Australia as Head Coach for this qualification campaign – has selected a talented group of players from across the country for the camp which will run from 16-20 December 2024 at The Centre, Dural.

This upcoming camp represents a crucial step in preparing for the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup China 2025™ Qualifiers, as it’s where the final 14-player squad will be selected.

The AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup™ Qualifiers, scheduled for 11-19 January 2025, will see Australia compete in Group C alongside host nation Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, the Philippines, and Kuwait. The Draw for the Qualifiers was conducted on 17 October at AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where teams were placed into four groups to play in a centralised league format.

The inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup™ 2025, set to be hosted in the Philippines, presents an opportunity for Football Australia to stand up a team specifically for this qualification cycle where participation in the AFC Qualifiers also marks Australia’s debut on the Asian Futsal stage and highlights a targeted effort to support the sport’s growth.

Head Coach Downie expressed his excitement for the upcoming camp and highlighted its significance for Women’s Futsal in Australia.

“This is a truly special moment for everyone involved in bringing this to life, our first-ever Women’s National Futsal team competing in Asia is a massive step forward, and it’s a move that will inspire future generations of players,” Downie said.

“The camp is an essential part of this journey as it’s the first time we will have all the players together. It will be key from a development perspective both individually and collectively as well as to identify the final squad that will represent Australia at the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup Qualifiers in January.

“This is a rare opportunity for players to be part of history. The players have been working towards this happening for a long time, and this gives them the platform to push themselves further and potentially represent their country.

“With the incentive of the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup and FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup on the horizon, this camp is a pivotal moment in our collective desire to see an Australian Women’s National Futsal team compete on the international stage.”

Due to the timing of the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup 2025 China™ Qualifiers, several players are unavailable for selection due to their respective Ninja A-League and Club commitments.

The squad for the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup 2025 China™ Qualifiers to be held in Uzbekistan will be selected and announced in late December.

Australia Women’s National Futsal Team Selection Camp Squad | 16-20 December 2024

To view further information around the format and qualification for the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup China 2025™ click here.

Football Australia has announced the second intake of the National Referee Academy, a ground-breaking initiative in the Australian football landscape, designed to transform the Match Official pathway and cultivate the development of world-class officials.

The Football Australia Referee Academy (FARA) Class of 2025 comprises of thirteen match officials representing five Member Federations, which will see these emerging referees or assistant referees each commence a two-year program featuring dedicated referee education, training and mentoring to provide greater individual support covering technical, physical, and mental aspects to underpin accelerated development.

Upon announcing the new intake, Football Australia Head of Referees Jon Moss said: “The Football Australia Referee Academy is a critical component of the Elite Refereeing Development Strategy, as we look to develop further world-class officials.”

“By design, the Academy bridges the gap between the state NPL and national A-Leagues’ competitions, fostering seamless transition for our match officials and building depth within our ranks, creating competition for spots which drives a further elevation of standards,” Mr Moss explained.

FARA is aligned with Football Australia’s XI Principles and adopts a holistic approach to developing match officials, ensuring they are well-prepared for the demands of professional football, both domestically and globally.

This second intake follows the successful graduation of the Class of 2023, which saw eight members selected on the Match Officials Panel for the 2024/25 A-Leagues’ season, including: Vicky Clark (Football QLD), (Molly Godsell (Football NSW), Alexis Johnson (Football NSW), Page Malau-Aduli (Football QLD), Paula Malau-Aduli (Football QLD), Astro Sakalis (Football Victoria), Nathan Shakespear (Capital Football), and Declan Woods (Capital Football).

The other graduating members of the Class of 2023 will return to their respective National Premier League competitions with a greater understanding of their craft, who are ready to be elevated should the opportunity arise.

“It’s pleasing to see the immediate success of the Football Australia Referee Academy with more than half the inaugural intake being named on the A-Leagues’ Panel for this season,” Mr Moss continued.

“With the demands on our Elite Referees to officiate at FIFA and AFC tournaments, having a deeper pool of qualified match officials ready to be appointed to A-Leagues’ matches, and the National Second Tier from 2025, can only be a positive as we look to raise the standards of Australian football.”

To be considered for FARA, prospects are nominated by their respective state Member Federations, where candidates have matches assessed, submit an individual performance plan and fitness test results, sit an online exam, and then participate in a formal interview.

For Batch 2 of the FARA intake, Football Australia received over 30 nominations, with the final 13 referees and assistant referees selected by a Panel consisting of former FIFA Referee Jacqui Hurford, former A-League Men Assistant Referee Daniel Goodwin, and a selection of Football Australia’s full-time Referees. 

The two-year program for Batch 2 of the Football Australia Referee Academy will commence in January 2025.

FOOTBALL AUSTRALIA REFEREE ACADEMY – CLASS OF 2025

By Takis Triadafillou

A magical day was enjoyed by all on Sunday, December 8, at Lambert Park in Leichhardt, Sydney, where young students from the Football Brilliance Academy held training sessions in the presence of Greek football royalty.

Greece’s Euro 2004 heroes Giorgos Karagounis, Thodoris Zagorakis, and Angelos Charisteas, guided students through training with a special focus on their technique, ball possession, and a scrimmage.

Hundreds watched the technical training session and applauded the talents of the Academy.

A popular Legends match followed, with Zagorakis captain of the ‘blue’ team, and Cardozo leading the ‘white’ team. The game was impressive with fantastic moments from both sides.

Spectators were thrilled with the goals and the plays. The game ended 11-3 in favour of Zagorakis’ team.

The amazing thing was that every time the Legends scored, the kids from the academy would run onto the field and hug the scorers. It was a magical gesture that everyone applauded.

Throughout the festive event, fans, young and old, took photos with Karagounis, Zagorakis and Charisteas, and simultaneously got autographs on T-shirts and photos.

Legends teams:

Blue team: Dimitrakis, Oikonomou, Tzanidis, Theodoropoulos, Chadtap, Mouzourakis, Zagorakis, Nikas, Charisteas, Karagounis, William Angel, Tsikolis, Brakatséas, Dimitriou.

White team: Tsoukalis, Hatzis, Dimitriou, Patalis, Kamvounias, Bouziotis, Tempas, Papadimitri, Cardozo, Vakondios, Grevanis, Mitrou, Filippou, Stavroulakis, Aronis, Breyannis.

*All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Takis Triadafillou.