Player Registration Fees support the delivery of football at every level of the game. This page provides information about how Player Registration Fees are structured, what they support, why fees can vary and how registration revenue supports the delivery of football across Australia.
What makes up a Player Registration Fee?
Player Registration Fees are usually comprised of four components; however, this varies depending on the State or Territory in which the player participates. This includes National Registration Fee (NRF) charged by Football Australia (FA), Member Federation Levy charged by Member Federations (MF), Association or Zone Levy and the Club Fee imposed by the player’s club. The various football bodies largely have the autonomy to determine their component of the total Player Registration Fee. Your individual fee breakdown is available through PlayFootball at the point of registration.
What does my Player Registration Fee support?
The Player Registration Fee contributes to the essential costs required for a player to be officially registered and able to participate in sanctioned football. The fee supports the delivery of training, competitions, facilities, equipment, coaches, safety and integrity programs, insurance, development programs, and the digital systems used to manage registrations and competitions. It also helps maintain the structures that ensure football is delivered in an organised, safe, and consistent way across the country. Together, these components ensure that every participant has access to a safe, well‑managed, and enjoyable football experience.
How are Player Registration Fees distributed nationally?
Player Registration Fee revenue supports the delivery of football at Club, Association/Member Zones, Member Federation and National levels. The distribution of Player Registration Fee revenue reflects the different roles and costs incurred across the football ecosystem, with the largest proportion remaining at Club level, where most of the direct costs associated with delivering football to players are incurred.
Source: Football Australia analysis of 2026 PlayFootball registration data.
Who makes up our national player base?
Pathway players include those participating in JDL and NPL competitions. Community Club players represent all other registered outdoor players.
Source: Based on 2026 PlayFootball data.
What does it cost to register?
Player Registration Fees vary depending on factors including location, competition, age group, Club and football environment.
2026 Community Club Football Median Registration Fees
- Coles MiniRoos - $250
- Youth - $325
- Senior - $450
Source: Based on 2026 PlayFootball data.
Why do Player Registration Fees vary?
Player Registration Fees can vary depending on factors including location, competition, age group, Club and the type of football program. Each football body determines its component of the Player Registration Fee, reflecting the different costs of delivering football at national, State or Territory, Association/Member Zone and Club levels. Different football environments have different delivery costs:
Community Football
- Participation-focused and open to players of all ages and abilities
- Predominantly delivered by volunteer-based local Clubs
- Typically one to two training sessions plus a match each week
- Generally delivered across an 18-22 week season
- Often uses shared community facilities
Premier Football
- Player development-focused, including competitions and programs such as NPL, Premier Youth League, SAP and JDL
- Greater accredited coaching requirements and elevated competition standards
- Typically three to four training sessions plus matches each week
- Generally delivered across a 25-35 week season
- Greater training, facility and program requirements
Do state and territory Member Federations also charge a registration fee?
Each of the nine (9) state/territory Member Federations sets and collects an annual Member Federation Fee as part of the Player Registration Fee outlined above. Please refer to the relevant Member Federation website below to learn more about their services and fees:
- Capital Football
- Northern NSW Football
- Football Northern Territory
- Football NSW
- Football Queensland
- Football South Australia
- Football Tasmania
- Football Victoria
- Football West
What is the National Registration Fee (NRF)?
The NRF is a mandatory fee collected by Football Australia as part of a player’s annual registration for sanctioned football in Australia. First introduced in 1989 at $1.00 per player, it was created to provide reliable funding for Australia’s national teams and grassroots programs, which could not rely solely on commercial revenue (match-day, sponsorship, broadcasting). The NRF is essential for sustaining national teams, programs and grassroots development. FA continually seeks ways to infrastructure and to directly benefit members, support grassroots and community facilities and infrastructure, and help grow football nationwide. For these reasons, the NRF is critical.
2027 National Registration Fee
- Club Football Player (Youth) - TBC
- Club Football Player (19+) - TBC
- Club Football Referee - TBC
- Club Football Pro Player (Youth) - TBC
- Club Football Pro Player (19+) - TBC
- Futsal Player (Youth) - TBC
- Futsal Player (19+) - TBC
What participants must register and pay the NRF?
All participants involved in organised football under Football Australia’s jurisdiction must register on National Online Registration System (PlayFootball) including players, coaches, referees, team managers, and volunteers. All participants outlined in the above table must pay the NRF at the point of registration as determined by Football Australia annually. Please refer to the National Registration Status and Transfer Regulations (NRSTR’s) for further information.
What does the NRF contribute to? The NRF supports FA’s national responsibilities, including:
- Junior National teams and Futsal for males and females.
- Club Changer, Football Australia’s National Club Development Program.
- Delivery costs of National championships, including Emerging Matildas, Emerging Socceroos and Futsal.
- Entry level Coaching and Referee accreditation and development.
- Development, maintenance and provision of the National Online Registration System (Play Football) and Competition Management System (Game Day)
- Development, maintenance and enforcement of Football Australia’s Member Protection Framework (MPF) comprising a comprehensive system of policies designed to safeguard the safety, dignity, and inclusion of all participants in the sport.
The NRF does not supplement any other administration costs, salaries and wages, and any costs related to Senior National Teams, Semi-Professional and Professional football.
How does Football Australia's NRF compare to other National Sport Organisations?
| National Sport | 2026 Junior / Youth Fee | 2026 Senior / Adult Fee | Source |
| Football Australia | $18.00 | $42.00 | |
| Cricket Australia | $17.45 | $36.50 | View Source |
| Rugby Australia | $28.00 - $39.00 | $94.00 | View Source |
| Touch Football Australia | $30.00 | $30.00 | View Source |
| Basketball Australia | $5.50 | $5.50 | View Source |
| Netball Australia | $5.61 | $5.61 | View Source |
| Hockey Australia | $57.86 | $70.22 | View Source |
National fees are not directly comparable between sports. Each national sporting organisation has different fee structures, participant categories and inclusions. Figures shown represent published 2026 national-level fees and exclude State/Territory, Association, Club and other applicable fees.
When is the NRF collected?
At the time of registration, from 2025 it has been automatically collected via Football Australia’s National Online Registration System (PlayFootball)
Does the NRF include insurance?
No. Insurance is covered separately by the relevant Member Federation fee.
Can the NRF be refunded?
Yes, please refer to the Football Australia Refund Policy to learn more.
If you have any questions in regard to the NRF, please contact support@playfootball.com.au