Women Onside calls for greater female representation in Australian football leadership

MEDIA RELEASE 

Friday, 6 November 2026

Women Onside has called for renewed commitment to female leadership across Australian football following the departure of Samantha Farrow from her Chief Executive Officer position, at Capital Football in the ACT. Her departure leaves Australian football without a woman serving as CEO at Football Australia or across its state and territory member federations.

While women’s football continues to achieve significant growth in participation, profile and commercial opportunity, Women Onside believes that progress must be matched by greater representation in the game's most senior leadership positions.

Women Onside Chair Brooke Reid said the situation highlighted the need for a stronger and more deliberate commitment to developing and supporting female leaders.

“Football has made extraordinary progress in creating opportunities for women and girls to play our game. We must now demonstrate that same ambition when it comes to who leads it.

“It is disappointing that we find ourselves without a single female CEO across our national and state football governing bodies. We know there are talented, experienced and highly capable women who have much to contribute at the highest levels of our game.

“This is not about questioning individual appointments or compromising merit. It is about ensuring women have genuine opportunities to progress, succeed and lead.”

Women Onside acknowledges the important contribution of women already holding senior executive positions throughout Australian football, including Heather Garriock, Deputy CEO of Football Australia, Caroline Carnegie, Managing Director of Melbourne Victory, and Alyssar Narey, CEO of Central Coast Mariners, Men's A-League.

“These women demonstrate the quality of leadership that exists within our game. We should be celebrating their achievements while ensuring there are many more opportunities for women to follow in their footsteps,” Reid said.

The leadership gap also comes as Women Onside prepares to release Your Voice, Your Game: Lived Experiences of Women and Gender-Diverse People in Australian Football, a major research report developed in collaboration with the Global Institute for Women's Leadership.

The forthcoming report will provide important insights into the experiences of women and gender-diverse people working and volunteering across Australian football, including the barriers and challenges they face.

“Leadership representation and workplace culture are closely connected. We need environments where women feel respected, supported and empowered to build careers and reach their full potential,” Reid said.

“We want to work constructively with football's governing bodies to strengthen leadership pathways, recruitment practices, succession planning and accountability.

“Ultimately, a game that champions equality on the pitch must demonstrate the same commitment off it.

“Australian football will be stronger when more women have the opportunity not only to participate in the game, but to shape its future and lead it.”