SOCCER officials are predicting another seismic shift in already burgeoning participation rates after the Socceroos qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Skipper Mile Jedinak’s hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Honduras in Sydney on Wednesday night is expected to swell the ranks, as happened in 2014 when Australia made it to Brazil.
Football Federation Australia’s Emma Highwood, who is head of community, football development and women’s football, believes soccer will experience another huge 10 per cent boom among children – 7 per cent more growth than a “normal” year without a World Cup on the calendar.
“The Socceroos and Matildas are inspiring boys and girls to play the game,” she said.
“There’s no gender split any more – both boys and girls are looking up to fantastic footballers to get them motivated.
“Every World Cup we see a spike in interest and we’d be looking at a 10 per cent increase in participation rates.”
SA has 34,273 children registered as playing soccer, among 55,709 participants overall.
Figures released on Thursday by AusPlay, which provides data on the most popular sports in Australia, revealed soccer tops participation rates.
More than 1.1 million adults and children play the sport, which is almost 500,000 more participants than Australian football, but SA soccer clubs cannot cope with the demand.
Adelaide City football chairman Tony Costa revealed the club had recently turned away 220 children after it reached its 535-player capacity.
Adelaide City is the biggest club in SA in terms of players, with 750 registered from children to adults.
“The biggest shift in numbers is from girls because of what the Matildas have done on the world stage,” he said
Australian Sports Commission chief executive Kate Palmer expects soccer’s profile to lift again.
“ It is a great opportunity for football to make the most of the increased interest that comes when the Matildas or the Socceroos compete in a major global event like a football World Cup,” she said.
FFA statistics showed junior participation had risen by 20 per cent in 2015 after the 2014 Brazil World Cup and Australia’s Asian Cup win.
For juniors Nicola Scalzi, Christian Migliaccio and Stefan Matteo, all 13, the Socceroos’ and the Matildas’ success has kept their passion alive.
The boys are in the Skilleroos program and are heading to play in the Supermokh Cup in Malaysia next month.
Christian recalls watching the Socceroos at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil on TV.
“It made want to become a Socceroo,” he said.
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