Indigenous Football

Capital Football and FFA are committed to ensuring indigenous people and communities have the opportunity to be involved in all levels of the game. For this very reason, FFA launched the Indigenous Football Development Program (IFDP) in February 2009.

What is the IFDP?

• The main component of the IFDP is the annual National Indigenous Football Festival.
• Football visits and introductory programs.
• Building capacity within indigenous communities to enable long term delivery of football.
• Creating links and pathways into established football competitions.
• Promoting the benefits of football to indigenous people and communities.

What are our aims?

• Increasing participation of indigenous people in football, with a particular focus on children and youth;
• Identify talented young players for further development;
• Contribute to improved health, social and economic outcomes for young indigenous people.

What are the broader Benefits to Football and Indigenous people and communities? 

• Providing young people with the opportunity to play small-sided (and other) football within and outside their community
• Encouraging adults and youth to become coaches by undertaking the Grassroots Football Certificate.
• Providing opportunities to become referees.
• Identifying talented players and providing links into established football competitions.
• Extending the reach of the program into more communities within each State & Territory, thereby reaching more children and adults from indigenous communities.
• Being able to provide follow-up programs/resources to participants to foster long term participation in the game.
• Upskilling adults, thereby instilling confidence individuals to deliver football amongst their own community.
• Educating and creating greater awareness of the needs of indigenous people and communities within FFA and our local Member Federations.