Anna 
Over 50,000 grassroots football participants in New South Wales (NSW) are facing a frustrating stand-off due to issues surrounding Football Australia’s (FA) newly launched registration platform, PlayFootball 2.0. The platform, intended to streamline registration for players, coaches, and referees across the country, has caused significant disruption, leaving local associations without access to essential competitions and resources.
The highly regarded Champion of Champions tournament, which pits the best teams from the state’s 34 associations, is just one of the casualties. The Bankstown Sports Strikers under-18 women’s team, who qualified for the competition last year, now face exclusion from this season’s tournament, despite their strong performance in 2024.
Andrew Skaltsounis, deputy chairman of the Bankstown District Amateur Football Association (BDAFA), expressed his frustration: “They were so proud last year, but now they’re devastated. They just want to play and compete at the highest level.”
The problem stems from technical difficulties with PlayFootball 2.0, which has led three major associations—BDAFA, Football Canterbury, and Central Coast Football (CCF)—to refuse to use the system. The platform has faced complaints over a range of issues, including a confusing user interface, system crashes, and slow or non-responsive technical support. Even more concerning, these associations say they had warned Football Australia about potential problems months in advance but were dismissed.
As a result, Football NSW, backed by FA, has begun withdrawing “benefits” for these associations, effectively barring them from participating in state-wide competitions like the Waratah Cup and the Sapphire Cup, as well as denying access to coaching and refereeing accreditation systems until they switch to PlayFootball 2.0.
While there is widespread agreement on the long-term goals of a unified national system, local clubs and associations are grappling with the platform’s premature roll-out. The system, which was piloted in Victoria and Tasmania last year, has yet to meet the needs of grassroots football. Bill Owen, chair of the Blacktown & Districts Soccer Football Association, acknowledged the difficulties but stressed that volunteers—who are already stretched thin—are working tirelessly to overcome the issues. “It’s challenging, but we’ll get there because our members are resilient,” he said.
The introduction of PlayFootball 2.0 also brings payment issues, with only debit and credit card transactions now accepted, imposing a 1.3% surcharge on registrations. Previously, clubs could rely on early registration fees to cover operational costs. However, under the new system, funds are split at the time of payment, creating cash flow issues for many clubs.
Leanne Millar, general manager of the BDAFA, highlighted the timing of the transition as problematic. Many volunteers were unavailable during the onboarding period over the holidays, making it difficult for clubs to adjust. “We tried to find solutions to make the system work for everyone, but we were told there would be no delays,” Millar explained.
Despite the frustration at the grassroots level, Football Australia maintains that the issues are part of the natural growing pains of a major system upgrade. Sources within the organization emphasize that the platform’s implementation is necessary to ensure compliance with FIFA regulations, improve security, and create efficiencies across the football ecosystem.
A spokesperson for FA said, “We acknowledge the challenges that come with system transitions and have been working closely with all stakeholders to provide support. The PlayFootball system is essential for creating a nationally integrated approach to football governance.”
While the long-term vision for PlayFootball 2.0 may hold promise, it’s clear that the current rollout has left many of the grassroots football community frustrated and struggling to adapt. The key question now is whether the system can be adjusted in time to prevent further disruption to the 2025 season.
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