(Transcript from SBS World News Radio)
It's a crowded sporting landscape and is likely to only get more crowded.
Football Federation Australia has laid out its 20-year blueprint.
Its mission: to make football the largest and most popular sport in Australia.
Darren Mara reports.
(Click on the audio tab above to hear the full report)
"Hi I'm David Gallop, CEO of FFA. Welcome to a special presentation of the Whole of Football plan.."
It's Football Federal Australia's bold plan for the future of football in this country.
It includes targets for Australia's national football teams all the way down to the game's grassroots.
"Not just in the local park. It's fans in stadiums, in front of a screen or even the new generation of gamers playing FIFA 15. By 2035 we aim to have 15 million people as part of the football community. That would equal half of Australia's forecast 30 million population in 20 years time."
FFA says it wants one million club members by this time.
Fan engagement is at the core of this plan and there'll be a special focus on multicultural communities.
A distinctive Australian style of playing that puts Australia's national teams in contention for all FIFA and AFC championships is also a top goal.
Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou says it all starts with youth development.
"Today, realistically, we just have 24 young players in a world class elite development environment in Canberra. We need to raise this number to 3,000 players, male and female from 12 to 19 years of age."
FFA says it plans to introduce three tiers of football academies, run by National Premier League and A-League clubs and in some cases regional clubs.
There'll also be a push to host the 2023 Women's World Cup as a driver of women's Football participation and professionalism.
Extra A-League teams are on the cards, but after a number of failed ventures A-League boss Damien De Bohun says it'll have to be carefully managed.
"A-League expansion will happen but only as a product of sustainable commercial growth via a managed process of 'in' and 'out' rather than a relegation or promotion system based purely on results. This managed expansion is critical to retain the strategic market placement of clubs which underpins the commercial viability of the league."
The Whole of Football plan will now provide a template for the next FFA Strategic Plan up until 2019.
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