Football continues to be Australia鈥檚 largest club-based participation sport by a wide margin with almost half a million more participants than AFL and more than twice as many as cricket. Rugby League and Rugby Union do not make the list of the top 10 club-based sports in terms of participation.
An update of the Australian Sports Commission鈥檚 official AusPlay survey, the largest survey of its type ever undertaken in Australia, shows that 1,152,144 men, women, boys and girls are participating in football.
鈥淔ootball has never been bigger or busier,鈥 said Football Federation Australia CEO David Gallop. 鈥淚t鈥檚 is the people鈥檚 game. Wherever you are around this country, whatever your age, background or ability, there is a place for you in football.
鈥淲ith the Caltex Socceroos qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia鈩 on Wednesday night and the Westfield Matildas in world鈥檚 best form, we expect to see even more people taking up football over the coming year.
鈥淲e will continue to work with our Member Federations and governments at every level around the country so that the necessary infrastructure is available.
鈥淔or parents of young children looking for a safe, accessible and inclusive sport, football is the answer 鈥 and these figures show just how many people are making that choice. Our ALDI MiniRoos program is the most participated junior sports initiative of any code.鈥
To find out how you can get involved in football, go to
AusPlay Results
NB: AusPlay provides data on the most popular participation sports and activities in Australia and who is participating in them.
AusPlay results from the last financial year (July 2016 to June 2017) found that for sport played in sport clubs, football continues to be the top sport among adults and children combined.
|
Club sport (Adults and Children combined) |
Population estimate |
Per cent of population |
Per cent of club sport population |
|
Football |
1,152,442 |
4.7% |
18.0% |
|
Golf |
751,766 |
3.1% |
11.7% |
|
Australian Football |
673,986 |
2.7% |
10.5% |
|
Netball |
665,738 |
2.7% |
10.4% |
|
Tennis |
628,708 |
2.6% |
9.8% |
|
Basketball |
594,919 |
2.4% |
9.3% |
|
Cricket |
562,107 |
2.3% |
8.8% |
|
Swimming |
406,035 |
1.6% |
6.3% |
|
Athletics, track and field (includes running/jogging) |
298,999 |
1.2% |
4.7% |
|
Touch football |
278,168 |
1.1% |
4.3% |
