For team managers and other team officials in community football, all ages, under Football Australia's national regulations and codes (2026). Covers official registration, who can play, mid-season changes, fees, conduct, spectators, betting and reporting breaches.
Yes. Under article 16.2 of the National Registration, Status and Transfer Regulations (NRSTRs), all Club Officials and Team Officials, including volunteers, must register with Football Australia (FA) through the National Online Registration System (PlayFootball) in the manner FA prescribes.
Source: NRSTRs (22 September 2026), articles 1.1 and 16.2 to 16.3.
A Club must not play any person in a Match unless that person is registered with Football Australia (FA) as a Player with that Club, subject to the exceptions in article 6.13(b) (representative, schools, benefit, trial and approved exceptional cases). A Club must not let anyone take part in MiniRoos or any other football program it delivers unless they are registered as a Player in that program.
A registration only takes effect from the date the Player is approved in the National Online Registration System, and a Player cannot be approved until they have a FIFA ID and, if previously registered with a Club, a National Transfer has been created in the National DTMS.
Where a Player has moved from another Club, the Club must not let them take part in a Match until it has received a valid Domestic Transfer Certificate for them. A Player must not take part in a Match unless validly registered, and must give the new Club truthful and accurate information about their former Club.
Sources: NRSTRs, articles 6.2, 6.6 and 6.7, Circular 26-02.
A Player registered with Football Australia (FA) can play only for the Club (in the relevant form of the game) they are registered with, unless:
A Player who plays for another Club under one of these exceptions cannot be treated as an ineligible player in any Competition Rules solely because they are not registered with that Club.
A Player can be registered with only one Club in each form of the game (such as eleven-a-side or futsal) at a time.
Source: NRSTRs, article 6.13.
Leaving: an Amateur cannot be transferred within Australia or loaned for any consideration, such as a Transfer Fee or Loan Fee. An Amateur who no longer wants to play may let the registration lapse. To change Clubs during a Season, the Amateur must sign Prescribed Form NRSTR08 (Cancellation of Amateur Registration) and send a copy to the Club and the Competition Administrator, or apply to de-register in the National Online Registration System. De-registration takes effect immediately once the Club confirms the notification, or seven days after the Player requested it, unless a Grievance has been started with the Competition Administrator.
Club ending a registration: if the Club no longer wants an Amateur to play, it must use NRSTR08 or apply to de-register in the National Online Registration System, which notifies the Player and the Competition Administrator.
Joining: a Player who was previously registered with a Club cannot be approved in the National Online Registration System until a National Transfer has been created in, and captured by, the National DTMS, and the Club must not let them play in a Match until it has received a valid Domestic Transfer Certificate. Registration Periods do not apply to Amateur Competitions: the Competition Administrator sets in the Competition Rules the timeframes within which Players may be registered.
Limits: a Player may be registered with a maximum of three Clubs in each form of the game in a Season, and is eligible to play Matches (other than friendly or trial matches) for only two of them.
A Player may apply to be registered with any Club of their choice. A Competition Administrator or Club may refuse an application only on legitimate competition reasons in accordance with the Competition Rules, including, but not limited to, restrictions on the number of players, available fields or coaches.
Football Australia (FA) may refuse a Player's application, or rescind a registration, in its sole and absolute discretion, including where the registration brings or may bring FA, its sponsors, a Football Administrator or football generally into disrepute or is otherwise prejudicial to the interests of FA or football. FA's decision to refuse is final and cannot be reviewed or appealed.
Source: NRSTRs, article 6.1.
Fees (NRSTRs article 6.15): a Club may charge Players a reasonable fee provided that it discloses in the National Online Registration System all fees, levies and charges imposed by the Club, and the fee reflects actual expenses related to the Player's participation in a Competition. The onus is on the Club imposing the fee to satisfy its District Association, Member Federation and/or Football Australia (FA) that it is reasonable. Football Australia's Circular 26-02 (1 October 2026) records that clubs must disclose their portion of a player's registration fee in PlayFootball.
Refunds: under FA's National Registration Fee Refund Policy, refunds of fees imposed by a Club, Competition Administrator, District Association or Member Federation are decided by the body that imposed them, under its own policy. Requests for fees paid through PlayFootball are made through PlayFootball.
Paying or reimbursing Amateurs (article 5.1): a Club may pay or reimburse expenses an Amateur incurs, such as travel, kit, equipment or insurance premiums, without changing their Amateur status. If an Amateur is paid or reimbursed more than $115 a week by a Club, the Club must satisfy the Competition Administrator that the amount reflects the expenses incurred, or the Player is deemed a Professional.
Sources: NRSTRs (22 September 2026), Circular 26-02, National Registration Fee Refund Policy.
The National Code of Conduct and Ethics forms part of the FA Statutes and applies to all forms of football under Football Australia's (FA) jurisdiction. It applies to Constituents, which include Clubs, Players and Officials (and anyone unregistered who ought to have been registered). By registering, Team Officials agree to abide by the FA Statutes.
A Constituent must not:
A Constituent is also treated as having engaged in Misconduct if they attempt it, or are complicit in, encourage, cover up or authorise another person's Misconduct.
Source: National Code of Conduct and Ethics (August 2026), clauses 1 to 3.
Under the National Code of Conduct and Ethics (clause 2.6), a Constituent (which includes Clubs, Players and Officials) must not make any comment, statement or representation to the public, including through any form of Media, that:
A Constituent also must not disclose private, confidential or privileged information of a Football Administrator to an unauthorised person or organisation.
If an Official or Player makes a statement that, in the Football Administrator's absolute opinion, breaches clause 2.6, the Club they are registered with may also be sanctioned, separately from any sanction on the person who made the statement.
The Code also prohibits bullying (including cyber-bullying) and harassment (clause 2.5).
Football Australia's Spectator Code of Behaviour applies to spectators at a Match or other activity staged or sanctioned by Football Australia (FA), a Member Federation, a District Association or a Club. Spectators must:
Anyone who does not comply, or causes a disturbance, may be evicted and banned from future Matches.
Club responsibility: under the National Code of Conduct and Ethics, a Club is responsible and liable for the conduct of its Supporters (which includes Club members and active supporter groups). A Club is deemed to have breached the Code where its Supporters engage in Misconduct at or in connection with a Match. The Code also says the Match host body is responsible for implementing and enforcing the Spectator Code of Behaviour for all attendees.
Sources: Spectator Code of Behaviour, National Code of Conduct and Ethics (August 2026), clause 3.
No. Under the National Code of Conduct and Ethics (clause 2.9), a Constituent (which includes a Club, Player or Official) must not directly or indirectly participate in any Bet on, or connected to, a Match, Competition or related football activity. That includes soliciting, inducing, requesting, encouraging, facilitating or authorising another person to bet, whether or not the Constituent benefits. For this clause, "Match" and "Competition" include those sanctioned by Football Australia (FA) or a State Member Body, and those sanctioned by FIFA, the AFC or any other governing body.
Other related rules in the Code:
Attempts, and helping to cover up another person's misconduct, are treated as misconduct too (clause 3).
Reports about potential breaches of the National Code of Conduct and Ethics, or other integrity matters in football, are made through the process set out on Football Australia's website, footballaustralia.com.au.
Source: National Code of Conduct and Ethics (August 2026), clauses 2.5, 2.8 to 2.11 and 4.1.