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or the second part of the 2020 review series, Ministry of Sport continues to highlight the top five stories from each major sport in 2020, this time looking at Football.

5

Speaking to Ministry of Sport, Football Federation Australia (FFA) CEO, James Johnson, said: “This period has forced many sports, including football, to evolve the way in which they communicate with fans, and innovate their matchday and non-matchday offerings.

“The digital disruption prompted by the pandemic will accelerate some evolutions to the game day experience moving forward,” Johnson said.

4

In November, FFA, along with the A-League and W-League, signed an official agreement granting the independence of the competitions from the governing body.

The clubs are now responsible for their own marketing, commercial and fixtures management.

3

Still very fresh on the minds and hearts of football fans around the world, Diego Maradona died at the age of 60 due to a heart attack.

Ministry of Sport took a look at the financial life of the Argentine World Cup-winning captain and his troubles off the field after his playing career.

2

Football’s financial challenges caused by COVID-19 was highlighted best by football’s global governing body, FIFA, who reported the pandemic has cost football $19.6 billion this year.

This came after FIFA approved a $2 billion relief fund in June to assist national federations and confederations, to which as many as 150 of the governing body’s 211 member associations have already applied for emergency COVID-19 grants.

1

In Ministry of Sport’s eyes, there’s no doubt the biggest football story of 2020 was Australia and New Zealand being awarded the rights to host the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The joint bid dominated headlines in the lead up to the FIFA Council vote in June, with support rolling in from all across Australia for what will be the first FIFA Women’s World Cup held in the Southern-Hemisphere.

The final campaign presentation for the bidding process featured both Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, and New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern.

The announcement was joined by the FIFA Council also announcing it had approved $1 billion in investment in women’s football over the next four years.

Overall, the football world was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, just like almost every other industry and sport around the world, but the positives underlying 2020 have left a strong sense of optimism for 2021 and beyond.

To view part one of the Ministry of Sport 2020 in review series looking at the top five stories of 2020 for Rugby, click here.