Australian Sports Commission (ASC) CEO Kate Palmer is encouraging Australians to cheer on the Socceroos at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, and continue playing in Australia’s number one club participation sport.
ASC data from the annual AusPlay survey reveals more than 1.1 million Australians are playing club football, making it the number one club sport for both adults and children.
A total 19 per cent of Australian children aged 5-14 – more than 610,000 - play organised football out of school hours. There’s potential to grow that junior base even further, with AusPlay data showing more than 330,000 additional children under the age of 15 would consider taking up the sport in the next 12 months.
"Australians will unite behind the Socceroos at the World Cup and we wish them the very best success. It’s also important to acknowledge the 23 players in this Socceroos World Cup squad are representative of more than a million football players across this country, of all ages, genders and multi-cultural backgrounds," Palmer said.
"The ASC is right behind Football Federation Australia, who is building a strong foothold for the sport in our country, both in terms of participation and its contribution to broader Australian culture. With the Socceroos about to kick off, and the Matildas heading to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in just over a year, we hope to see more Australians inspired to get active in football and any other sport they enjoy."
Some 1.38 million Australians are involved in football in Australia as participants, officials, coaches and volunteers. According to the ASC’s AusPlay data, almost 28 per cent of boys aged 5-14 play football, with the peak in participation between the ages of 9 and 11.
AusPlay also confirms football’s status as a truly international game. Almost half (49.4 per cent) of adult participants (aged over 15) in Australia have parents who were born overseas, while 23 per cent speak a language other than English at home (compared to 17 per cent of overall population).
"It’s great to see Australia’s wonderfully diverse culture within our national teams as well as the general population who are embracing the sport," Palmer said.
AusPlay, which commenced in 2015, is the largest and most comprehensive sport and physical activity survey of its kind conducted in Australia.
Read more on Australian football (soccer) and other AusPlay data here ---
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