The PFA player development scholarships were established with the aim of recognising and supporting the efforts of PFA Members off the pitch. Entries opened on Friday 12 December 2025 and will close on Friday 16 January 2026.

The four scholarships are awarded annually, as is the Community Medal, which recognises the contributions of PFA members within their community.

Craig Foster Scholarship 

The PFA Craig Foster Scholarships are awarded annually to two current or former footballers who have demonstrated a commitment to furthering the objectives of the PFA throughout their playing career and pursuing a post playing career in the following domains:

• human rights
• the media
• social and/or community advocacy
• social and/or community service

Awarded annually to two players, each scholarship is valued at $2,500.

Click here to access the nomination form for the Craig Foster Media Scholarship

Kimon Taliadoros Scholarship 

The PFA Kimon Taliadoros Scholarships are awarded annually to two players who demonstrate excellence in their development off the field, such as through education, business or community involvement.

Awarded annually to two players, each scholarship is valued at $2,500.  

Click here to access the nomination form for the Kimon Taliadoros Scholarship

Beyond Bank Community Medal 

The Beyond Bank Community Medal, first introduced in 2017, recognises the outstanding contribution PFA members are making within their communities and reflects the PFA’s commitment to ensuring football creates positive social impact. 

The winner of the medal receives $2,500 to go to their nominated charity, courtesy of Beyond Bank. 

Click here to access the nomination form for the Beyond Bank Community Medal

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The Report highlights the league’s rapid shift toward youth development, with players aged under 21 accounting for an unprecedented 18% of all match minutes in 2024–25. Players aged 25 and under made up more than half of total minutes for the first time. 

Player payments declined for the second successive season. Transfer fees received fell below the previous two seasons but remained well above prior averages across the league’s history.   
 
Acknowledging the strong performance of A-League academies and the increasing playing opportunities for young players, the Report warns that the competition must ensure it strikes a balance between providing opportunity and quality if it is to leverage rising sporting and commercial revenue opportunities.

Read the full 2024-25 A-League Men Report here

Excluding the excellent Auckland FC, the Report reveals that crowds across the league declined from the 2023-24 season, with stadium utilisation continuing to present an enormous barrier to creating a compelling match day atmosphere across the league.  

PFA Chief Executive Beau Busch said the findings illustrate both the promise and the fragility of the league. 

“The quality on the pitch and the increasing willingness of overseas clubs to invest in the league’s young talent reflects the outstanding work undertaken in A-League academies,” Busch said. 

“However, continuing to drive value on the international transfer market must not come at the expense of the other football and traditional revenues.  

“The Report shows the league is approaching the extreme end of youth minutes by global standards. 

“The Report makes clear that the A-League Men can develop young talent, whilst also competing in Asia, attracting fans and re-establishing an atmosphere that is the envy of all other Australian codes.” 

The Report also raises concerns about the A-Leagues’ governance, noting the Australian Professional Leagues’ (APL) decision to announce major labour-market reforms in April this year — including the attempted introduction of a hard salary cap — is in conflict with the 2021–2026 A-Leagues Collective Bargaining Agreement and the hard-won rights of the players.  

Busch said players will continue to advocate for solutions that strengthen the league. 

“The continued operation of a salary cap, or any other restraint beyond this season, will require the players’ agreement through collective bargaining negotiations, and will be heavily conditional,” Busch said. 

“It clear that governance reform is urgently required to deliver a system that fans and players have confidence in and which can ensure the game’s potential is realised. 

“Through collective bargaining and constructive engagement, the players will continue to offer a credible plan that responds to the league’s challenges and leverages the opportunities. 

“As always, we are committed to being part of the solution.” 

Key Findings from the 2024–25 A-League Men Report 

• Youth opportunities at record levels: Under-21 players reached 18% of total match minutes; players 25 and under exceeded 50% of available match minutes for the first time. 

• Attendances and infrastructure: Average crowds rose 9% to 8,788 — boosted by Auckland FC’s debut — yet only three clubs filled more than half their stadium capacity, underscoring the need for improved, fit-for-purpose venues for the A-Leagues. 

• Player sentiment and governance: 52% of surveyed players expressed dissatisfaction with league management; 60% support an independent commission to oversee the competition, aligned with leading models in the AFL and NRL. 

• Transfer revenue is volatile revenue source: Clubs earned at least A$11.4 million from transfers in 2025, but the Report warns against relying on player sales at the expense of core revenue streams and long-term fan connection. 

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The partnership brings together two groups that sit at the heart of the game – the players and supporters. The PFA’s Chief Executive, Beau Busch, and FSAA Chair, Patrick Clancy, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two organisations on Wednesday, December 3.

Under the agreement, the organisations will collaborate on initiatives that: 

• build deeper, more authentic connections between players and supporters; 

• amplify the role of players and fans in decision-making processes across the game; and 

• generate data-driven recommendations that underpin long-term growth of the game. 

PFA Chief Executive Beau Busch said:  

“Since the establishment of FSAA, we have been able to build an effective working relationship, and this agreement represents another step forward in our shared pursuit of building the game. 

“Globally, we have seen firsthand the benefits of strong collaboration between fan groups and player unions.  

“Together we believe we are better equipped to shape the future of Australian football and ensure that the voices of fans and players are heard and respected.” 

FSAA, a volunteer collective, was formally established in 2023 to provide a unified, independent representation for all Australian football supporters through a dedicated supporter-first approach. 
 
The FSAA advocates for issues affecting all football supporters and fans at all levels of the game. The FSAA has recently published supporter-centric recommendations to football’s governing body, Football Australia (FA), and the Australian Professional Leagues (APL). 

FSAA Chair Patrick Clancy said FSAA’s partnership with the PFA is a natural link between the bodies representing Australian football’s two most important groups – players and supporters. 

“Australia’s professional players have an inextricable connection with supporters. Many have grown up on the terraces and in the stands and then progress to taking on the game as a career,” Patrick said. 

“For supporters, there is that strong emotional connection with the players of the club they support week in, week out. 

“FSAA wants to continue to foster and grow this important relationship, leverage off our mutual understandings and improve the game in Australia for players and supporters alike.” 

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AGM Highlights

• Tameka Yallop and Jackson Irvine re-appointed as PFA Co-Presidents at the PFA’s 2025 Annual General Meeting. 
• Andrew Redmayne re-appointed to PFA Executive Committee. 
• PFA membership endorses a new three-year Strategic Framework – Securing the Future of the Professional Game. 
• The PFA publishes its 2024-25 Annual Report, outlining achievements, progress, and challenges across professional football. 
• 10 individuals, including former players and PFA staff, were awarded PFA Life Membership.

Matilda Yallop and Socceroo Irvine have served as Co-Presidents since January and will continue to lead the union through a critical period for the professional game in Australia and New Zealand. 

The Executive Committee now features five active national team players: Irvine and Mat Ryan (Socceroos), and Yallop, Clare Hunt, and Alanna Kennedy (Matildas), with Kennedy confirmed as a new Executive appointment last week. 
 
The PFA’s Annual Report highlighted the significant support afforded to PFA members, including: 

• $1.78m secured by the PFA for members over the course of 2024-25 financial year; 

• 127 individual legal cases opened; 

• 84 education grants awarded to players to help subsidise their off-fieled education and development; 

• 102 video highlights packages produced for players seeking professional football contracts; 

• 929 confidential counselling sessions provided to players seeking mental health support; 

• 132 players undertook concussion, betting, and match fixing education sessions; and 

• 400 players attended gambling education sessions.  

Click here to read the PFA’s Annual Report

Members endorsed a new three-year strategic direction for the organisation and recognised individuals whose contribution has strengthened both the PFA and the game. The organisation’s new Strategic Framework sets a clear direction for the next three years for the organisation, built on four pillars:

1. Lead – spearhead a whole-of-industry recovery and drive progress across the professional game; 

2. Equal Say – players have an equal say in the decisions that shape their careers and the game’s future; 

3. Support – deliver world-leading, player-owned wellbeing and education programs; and 

4. Strength – maintain a powerful, resilient association ready to pursue its mission with confidence. 

During the AGM, Matildas legends Clare Polkinghorne, Lydia Williams, and Elise Kellond-Knight; Socceroo Danny Vukovic, A-League stalwarts Jamie Young and Scott Neville (and current PFA Player Relations Executive), and former National Soccer League player and PFA staff member Will Hastie were awarded PFA Life Membership. 

They were joined by three staff whose work has had enduring impact on the organisation: Brianna Finn (PFA General Manager), Angela Collins (Head of Legal), and Shannon Beck (former PFA staff member). 

PFA Chief Executive Beau Busch congratulated the re-appointed duo of Yallop and Irvine, and those awarded Life Membership. 

“This AGM reflects both where we’ve come from, by recognising the incredible contributions of former players and long serving staff, and where we’re determined to go as a collective. 

“Today’s AGM was a moment to acknowledge those who have shaped Australian football and to honour their contribution by securing the future of the professional game.  

“For those players and administrators who have dedicated their lives to Australian football and the betterment of the players, we thank them for their incredible contribution. 

“Tameka and Jackson’s re-appointment ensures the PFA remains anchored by strong, principled player leadership, as we enter a critical moment for the future of the professional game. 

“Our new strategy marks the beginning of a new era – one where players’ leadership, voice, and collective strength will be required to reshape the game, and deliver on Australian football’s immense potential.” 

Featured images: IMAGO / Sports Press Photo and Xinhua

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Kennedy will join Co-Presidents Tameka Yallop and Jackson Irvine on the Executive, alongside fellow Members Mat Ryan, Andrew Redmayne, David Williams, Jack Hingert, Dylan Holmes, Clare Hunt, PFA Chair Francis Awaritefe, Deputy Chair Elise Kellond-Knight and Chief Executive Beau Busch. 

About the PFA Executive Committee  
 
Through representative positions on the Executive Committee, professional Australian players help to advance and protect the interests, conditions, and welfare of their fellow professionals and actively resolve issues on their behalf.  The current PFA Executive Committee is Francis Awaritefe (Chair), Elise Kellond-Knight (Deputy Chair), Beau Busch (PFA Chief Executive), Jackson Irvine (Co-President), Tameka Yallop (Co-President), Mat Ryan, Andrew Redmayne, David Williams, Clare Hunt, Dylan Holmes and Alanna Kennedy (Executive Member). 

Featured image: IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

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The Report reveals that the ALW continues to fall further behind leading women’s football leagues globally and other domestic women’s competitions, accelerating the League’s talent drain during the off-season.

Findings from the PFA’s end-of-season survey reveal the ALW is now the least preferred league among its players, while minimum salaries, which were once amongst the highest in Australia, are now the lowest of any major Australian women’s sport.

At the same time, the Report highlights the growing economic opportunity for the ALW, with fan revenues and football revenues projected to far exceed the cost of professionalising the League should clubs make that investment.

Click here to download the PFA’s 2024-25 A-League Women Report

“The ALW has reached a tipping point,” PFA Chief Executive Beau Busch said.  “Without urgent investment and a plan to transition to full-time professionalism by next season, the League risks losing more talent, continuing the damaging cycle of part-time commitments on players, and compromising its connection with fans.

“This Report is an urgent call to action for an industry that is failing to recognise the scale of the opportunity before it. Importantly, it is not too late to do so. 

“The business case is clear – the smart money is on women’s sport and especially football. With the Asian Cup in Australia kicking off in a little over 100 days, the game can take the necessary leap to full-time professionalisation and capitalise on the biggest opportunity in Australian sport.”

PFA Co-President and Brisbane Roar midfielder Tameka Yallop said: “Women’s leagues around the world are grabbing hold of that potential and moving forward and… refocusing so that they are taking those opportunities when presented to them. 

“We had that massive opportunity with the World Cup and we did see a little bit of growth, but there wasn’t any hard sort of platform laid down for it to continue to grow. It was just piggybacking rather than laying the foundations that we needed to lift this league and elevate it.”

Adelaide United midfielder and PFA Executive Committee Member Dylan Holmes said: “There’s a very genuine belief through the players that this league has so much potential, and it has the potential to be one of the best leagues in the world, if not the best league in Asia. But the consensus among the players is that there’s not enough being done to realise that potential when the opportunities are clearly there.”

Canberra United’s Sasha Grove said: “Professionalising the A-League would provide me the security to focus on football full-time. For many players the part-time nature of the ALW creates a lot of uncertainty when it comes to the off-season. Many players are left in the dark when it comes to off-season training and whether or not they will be able to get a contract for the next season. This massively takes away from our ability to grow the women’s game, increase its visibility, and promote domestic talent.

“The post-Asian Cup period provides an opportunity to meaningfully grow the women’s game. Professionalising the ALW during this period is absolutely necessary to keep Australian football in the spotlight and make a strong statement on the support for women’s football and the intention to lift it to greater heights.”

Key Findings from the PFA’s Report Include: 

The ALW talent drain has intensified 
Clubs are increasingly losing players to leagues outside the world’s best, and being forced to recruit from European second, third, and even fifth-tier leagues. The traditional player pipeline from the United States has dried up as the professional football footprint in North America expands.

The ALW’s youth skew has increased

Players aged 21 and under accounted for 32% of match minutes in 2024-25, up from 28% last season. The share of match minutes being played by teenagers rose to 18% in 2024-25 from 15% in 2023-24.
 

Financial insecurity remains alarmingly high for players 
Despite record total player payments of $8.7 million, 76% of players reported their financial situation as ‘not at all’ or only ‘slightly’ secure. 62% worked outside football during the 2024-25 season. The League’s average salary is just over $30,000.

Players prefer an Independent Commission to govern the League

Two in five players expressed dissatisfaction with the Australian Professional Leagues (APL), and 61% support an independent commission to oversee the competition.

While the challenges are significant, the Report also identifies major opportunities for growth. Global investment in women’s football is accelerating, with the transfer market projected to exceed $200 million by 2027.

By embracing full-time professionalisation and securing multi-year contracts, ALW clubs could capture a greater share of this booming market, potentially more than $10 million annually in transfer fees alone.

Prize money for the AFC Women’s Champions League and new FIFA women’s club competitions present another revenue opportunity that will aid the transition to full-time professionalisation.

The PFA will be releasing a players’ vision for the A-League Women in the coming weeks.

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The Beyond The 90 Program allows PFA members to explore potential careers away from football.

Successful applicants will undertake 40 hours of paid work experience in an industry aligned to their interests.

Designed to be flexible to accommodate players’ football commitments, the Program allows footballers to have a real-world experience across a wide range of work places.  

Matildas and Tottenham Hotspur full-back Charlotte Grant and A-Leagues duo James Delianov and Emma Robers were the recipients of the scholarships last year.

If players chose to take on the scholarship, it allows them to undertake a work placement in the industry of their choosing.

Grant received a placement opportunity with UK sports and entertainment business Two Circles.

“I’m going to go into the media side of things. I find that quite interesting and enjoy that area,” Grant said in July, prior to completing her placement.

Grant also spoke about how applying for the scholarship came to be and why completing a placement such as this will be beneficial for not only her, but other elite footballers.

“I got an email from Rita (Mankowska) saying that there was a Beyond The 90 program scholarship available and that I’ve been looking to do something in my spare time in football to see what I would want to pursue post-career,” Grant said.

“I applied, just to see what it was about and explore some options from there.

“The scholarship is very beneficial in exploring off-field endeavours. I think it helps have an idea of what you’d want to do post-career and eliminates that stress that you can have during your career.

“I think it’s also important to have that balance of life outside of football so you can enjoy playing on the pitch as well.”

To apply contact your Player Development Manager.

Applications close on 9 January. There will be three Beyond The 90 scholarships awarded to PFA Members for the 2025/26 Season. 

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The initiative reinforces the PFA’s commitment to player health and wellbeing, ensuring that those who represent the game at the highest level have access to life-saving early detection services. 

Through the partnership, players will receive full-body skin checks by MoleMap’s accredited melanographers, digital imaging for dermatologist review, and individual risk assessments and education on sun safety and self-checking.

PFA Chief Executive Beau Busch said the new partnership reaffirmed the importance of supporting the players’ wellbeing on the pitch.

“Skin cancer remains one of Australia’s most prevalent and preventable diseases. By partnering with MoleMap, we are taking proactive steps to protect our players and honour our responsibility to their long-term health.”

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This initiative builds on the PFA’s history of introducing skin cancer checks following the tragic passing of former National Soccer League player David Cervinski, who lost his battle with melanoma in 2019. 

Cervinski’s courage and advocacy inspired the PFA to make skin cancer screenings a regular part of player welfare programs. 

As part of the partnership, MoleMap will appoint current and former players as ambassadors to champion skin health awareness across the football community. 

These ambassadors will share personal stories and encourage Australians to undertake regular skin checks, reinforcing the message that early detection saves lives.

“This partnership highlights the importance of prevention and early detection,” says Jaime Schell, Chief Business Officer at MoleMap.

“Skin cancer can affect anyone, and we hope it encourages players and fans alike to stay on top of their skin health.”

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The meeting will be held by video and teleconference  (details will be provided to members prior to the meeting). 

Form of Nomination for Election forms are available below and must be received by the Returning Officer, Jim Kourtis, Professional Footballers Australia at 2/55 Walsh Street, West Melbourne Vic 3003 via accounts@pfa.net.au by 5:00pm 17 November 2025.  

In accordance with Rule 24.6(a) of the PFA Rules, the returning officer now calls for nominations for election to the offices of the three (3) ordinary members of the PFA Executive all of which are for a term of three (3) years. 

If you wish to vote at the meeting but are unable to attend, you may appoint a Full Member in writing as your proxy.  You can do this by completing a Form of Appointment of Proxy and returning it to your PFA Club Delegate before the commencement of the meeting.  

The Proxy Form and comprehensive materials for the meeting are also available below. 

2025 PFA Annual General Meeting Resources 

• 2025 PFA AGM Meeting Materials 

• 2024/25 PFA Audited Financial Accounts 

• 2025 Form of Appointment of Proxy 

• 2025 Form of Nomination for Election 

• PFA Rules 
   

Should you have any queries, please contact Beau Busch (beau@pfa.net.au) 

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The partnership continues a shared commitment between the PFA and Austraffic to recognising and celebrating the achievements of Australia’s professional footballers through the prestigious PFA Players’ Awards. 

Since 2021, Austraffic – a leader in traffic and transport data collection and analysis – has supported the PFA’s peer-voted awards, including the Austraffic A-Leagues Player of the Month and the Austraffic PFA Footballer of the Year Awards.  

These honours are widely regarded as the most meaningful accolades in Australian football, as they are voted on by the players themselves.  

The partnership has elevated the visibility of player excellence across both domestic and international competitions, with recent winners including Aziz Behich and Nicolas Milanovic. The Austraffic 2025 PFA Women’s Footballer of the Year and Austraffic 2025 PFA Young Women’s Footballer of the Year will be revealed next week. 

PFA Chief Executive Beau Busch welcomed the continued collaboration: 

“We are delighted to extend our partnership with Austraffic into a fifth year,” Busch said. 

“Their support has helped us shine a spotlight on the incredible performances of our members, both in the A-Leagues and on the global stage.  

“These awards are a celebration of peer recognition, and Austraffic’s commitment has been instrumental in their growth and impact.” 

Austraffic Queensland Principal Martin Jordan-Williams added: 

“Our partnership with the PFA reflects our shared values of excellence, integrity and community. We are proud to continue supporting the players who inspire fans across Australia and beyond, and we look forward to another exciting season of recognising their achievements.” 

The Austraffic A-Leagues Player of the Month Award remains the only peer-voted monthly honour in Australian football, while the PFA Players’ Awards, established in 2009, continue to honour the best male and female footballers, as well as emerging talent through the Harry Kewell Medal and Young Women’s Footballer of the Year. 

The PFA’s A-League Men and A-League Women Team of the Season are sponsored by the organisation’s Official Currency Exchange SportsFX. 

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