***Photos attached
To celebrate Indigenous Football Week 2026, aspiring Indigenous Socceroos and Matildas took to the field this evening at Valentine Sports Park in Sydney where 26 of Australia's most promising young male and female Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander footballers (aged 12-16 years) demonstrated their skills for the professional football community.
The event was the inaugural JMF National Talent Showcase, organised by the award-winning John Moriarty Football, known for fostering and supporting football talent such as Shadeene Evans and Jada Whyman. The Showcase players were handpicked from all over Australia for their elite potential.
Yanyuwa man John Moriarty, JMF Co-Founder and Australia's first Aboriginal Socceroo said the showcase was an overwhelming success and a lifechanging experience for the young participants.
"The talent we saw on display tonight was exceptional. This showcase demonstrates just how deep the talent pool of gifted Indigenous footballers is across Australia," Mr Moriarty said.
"Football has the power to unlock doors and create opportunities, just like it did for me. But for many Indigenous players, especially those in the bush, they are locked out of the game as the barriers are just too high.
"We want more talented Indigenous footballers to reach for the stars and aspire to be the next Socceroo or Matilda. This Showcase could be the catalyst to kickstart the careers of these talented young players."
Former Chelsea FC Academy Director, UEFA A license holder and JMF Program Manager - Performance and Coaching, Jen Wicks said the showcase was a unique opportunity to connect young Indigenous footballers with the sport's movers and shakers.
"Some of the players have that real X factor about them which is very exciting. Participants also benefitted from mentoring in the lead up to the event, athlete workshops, opportunities to hear from professional athletes and access to future elite pathways," Ms Wicks said.
Former A-League player and JMF Ambassador Allira Toby (Kanolu/Gangulu) said the showcase was a game changer for the sport and Indigenous footballers.
"There are too few professional Indigenous footballers which is disappointing and must change," Ms Toby said.
"My personal experience has shown that events like this play a pivotal role in opening doors and kickstarting the journey towards a professional career."
Showcase players will also be in the running to secure 12-month JMF scholarships, which includes personalised support, such as mentoring and technical performance.
Participants' travel and accommodation costs were fully funded by JMF and they also received financial assistance to support football related expenses for the showcase.
Indigenous Football Week (IFW), a John Moriarty Football initiative, is an annual celebration of the power of football to create change for good. IFW brings the football community together to support inclusion and diversity, and to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
