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ootball Australia has released their Domestic Transfer System Transformation White Paper, detailing a domestic transfer system as a solution for the development of the Australian football economy.

The White Paper was developed throughout the fourth quarter of last year and will be discussed with stakeholders of football over the next few months.

Key elements identified in the White Paper include; administration of transfers, training rewards, and young players, loans, player eligibility rules, registration windows, transfer fees, special provision relating to contracts, agents, dispute resolution and player status resolution, private academies, and recent amendments by FIFA (coaches and women).

Football Australia CEO, James Johnson said: “2020 was a difficult year, despite this, Football Australia took the opportunity to return to its football core and saw the organisation take transformative steps which culminated in the establishment of a bold and innovative vision for the game in the form of the XI Principles.”

“To highlight a significant year for the game in 2020, we also successfully secured hosting rights for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, underwent an internal reshaping to ensure we are ready to implement our strategic agenda, renamed the organisation, revamped the FFA Cup and recently announced the unbundling of the Professional Leagues.

“The publication of the White Paper, following the Transfer System webinars late last year, is another significant step as we look to bring to life the XI Principles and we are excited to lead with this strategic initiative in 2021.

“The absence of a domestic transfer system has meant that Australian football has been unable to fully integrate into world football by embedding itself in the global football market which has led to lost economic and sporting opportunities for our game over many years.

“In 2019, FIFA reported that Australia received just US$1.9 million in transfer receipts from a market currently valued at US$7.35 billion for men alone.

“This low figure received by Australian clubs is in stark contrast to many nations of a similar or lower international ranking than our National Teams, and to many countries with significantly smaller populations than Australia.

“It also highlights that Australian clubs, from the professional right down to the grassroots, are missing out on vital funds that could be used to underpin and enhance the sport.

“The establishment of a modern Domestic Transfer System in 2021 by Football Australia will seek to remedy the ‘gap’ that has been created in the Australian football ecosystem by providing opportunities to progressive clubs at all levels of the sport to generate new revenue streams which can be deployed into the ongoing training and development of players, and the clubs themselves.

“We believe that the implementation of a fit-for-purpose system will have transformational benefits for football in Australia and particularly our professional and grassroots clubs by reconnecting the game and stimulating growth,” he said.

Planned engagement processes will be carried out among clubs, players, and members of the community in early 2021.