Touch Football Australia (TFA) has today announced a reform to national participation fees, designed to strengthen the sport’s long-term sustainability, enhance grassroots investment, and improve equity for participants nationwide.
Following extensive financial analysis and benchmarking against other major participation sports, the reform will be implemented on Monday, 1 September 2025, with the national participation fee increasing from $22 to $30.
This decision follows careful consideration of rising operational and economic pressures and is the result of extensive consultation with key stakeholders, supporting a more unified approach to growing the game. The reform will help TFA meet increasing service expectations and reinvest directly into grassroots participation programs.
“This reform ensures we can sustainably deliver for participants across every level of the game,” TFA Chief Executive Officer, Marcus Ashcroft said.
“By standardising our model nationally and reinvesting directly into community-level programs, we’re building a stronger future for the sport.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why is this reform happening?
To maintain quality service delivery for participants and affiliates, an extensive review found that the sport’s current financial model needed to evolve to keep pace with ongoing economic pressures. TFA has not increased participation fees for several years, despite significant rises in insurance, technology, and operational costs.
The 2024/25 financial year has been a transitional period for TFA, with legacy factors affecting results in this time. Since then, enhanced governance measures and strengthened financial oversight have been implemented, identifying and addressing factors that will positively impact results in the next financial year.
Looking ahead, broader cost pressures also influencing the decision for fee reform include:
- A $200,000 rise in annual insurance premiums, a trend mirrored across Australian sport,
- A decade-long average CPI increase of 2.7%, raising delivery and staffing costs, and
- Ongoing digital infrastructure and system expenses linked to growing participation.
How will the national fees be used?
Starting this year, the Touch Football community will see more on-the-ground resources and initiatives that will deliver better outcomes nationwide, including:
- Insurance and risk protection for all participants,
- Significant investment into resources, including new staffing appointments and projects to support grassroots volunteers and grow participation,
- An increase in whole-of-sport roles to support program delivery, such as the recently appointed National Participation Programs Manager,
- Improvements to national events to elevate participant and spectator experiences,
- Additional marketing resources to grow the sport and its profile, including the appointment of a Senior Marketing Manager, and
- Enhancements to core systems, including a whole-of-sport Digital Services role in partnership with the NRL to further develop MySideline functionality.
To support transparency, TFA will share further details on our channels in the coming months to help participants understand exactly where their fees go.
What does this mean for my 2025/26 registration?
If you have already registered 2025/26 season, you do not need to do anything else.
If you have yet to register, you can do so for $22 until 31 August. From 1 September 2025, the national participation fee will be $30.
TFA has chosen to give advanced notice of this fee reform to allow our participants to make an informed decision regarding their registration.
What consultation informed this change?
As part of its 2025-2032 Strategic Plan development, TFA undertook a national consultation process engaging participants, affiliates, and other key stakeholders. The consultation explored their experiences with the sport, levels of involvement, accessibility, and any emerging challenges.
Key findings related to the affordability included:
- Affordability is currently viewed as acceptable: Most respondents, from a broad range of regions and roles, agreed that participation costs are currently reasonable. This positions the sport to introduce modest adjustments without significant resistance.
- Affordability and access are closely linked: Respondents emphasised the importance of accessible, low-cost local options – particularly casual or social formats – and supported fee changes that directly benefit community-level participation.
- Value drives cost acceptance: While affordability was not a major barrier, respondents stressed that visible reinvestment – such as improved access to competitions, infrastructure, and development pathways – is essential in justifying fees.
These insights helped shape the reform and reinforced the importance of an aligned model that balances financial sustainability with fairness and community reinvestment.
TFA is committed to transparent communication and will continue to provide updates and report outcomes as they become available.
Will fees continue to be reviewed?
Yes. TFA is committed to regularly reviewing participation fees in consultation with key stakeholders. Any future changes will continue to prioritise the long-term sustainability of the sport and the needs of all Touch Football participants.
TFA values all feedback and encourages the community to reach out with any concerns or questions at info@touchfootball.com.au.
