MODIFIED FOOTBALL SUMMER FOOTBALL

provides a strong indication that to boost women’s and girls’ participation, there needs to be increased consideration to the availability of social formats.

PARTICIPATION 2021/22

Following two years of competition disruptions, COVID-19 also provided futsal with the additional challenge of constantly changing Public Health Orders around sports participation within indoor facilities. The resulting stunted competitions in late 2021 allowed for little momentum to start the new year and only 12 of the 19 affiliated futsal centres were able to run programs in 2022. Despite the above setbacks, community futsal numbers achieved 5% growth with a total of 4682 registrants and the significant numbers across Futsal School competitions continues to show promise around interest in the sport among junior age groups.

The availability of indoor facilities suitable for futsal remains a major barrier for growth in the sport, placing emphasis on the importance of selling the benefits around running futsal competitions at centres across the state.

Walking Football

In 2022 Walking Football was supported by grant funding through Football Australia and Football NSW helped a number of new programs to take their first steps while supporting existing programs to consolidate. Walking Football is now being played by hundreds of players across a range of centres and it is building momentum as more people hear about it and see it at a park near them.

The very first walking football leagues are taking shape, moving to a new phase of ‘competitive’ walking football developing alongside the more social programs. FNSW and our various Clubs’ and Associations’ Walking Football centres can see a steady progression underway as the concept matures among the increasingly diverse range of products that football now offers.