Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) has released its 2026 Player Development Program Insights & Impact Report, highlighting the role of collectively bargained support services in protecting players' wellbeing, supporting their professional development and preparing them for life after football.
Read the full 2026 Player Development Program Insights & Impact Report.
Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) has published its 2026 Player Development Program (PDP) Insights & Impact Report, outlining the support provided to professional footballers across Australia's A-Leagues and national teams during the 2025/26 season.
Established in 2013 and funded through collective bargaining agreements, the Player Development Program provides services across three key areas: wellbeing, career development and retirement. The initiative reflects the union's commitment to supporting players throughout their careers and beyond their time in professional football.
The report highlights the scale of this work, including 992 confidential counselling sessions, 153 education grants and 532 skin cancer checks. A further 102 first-year players participated in workplace induction programmes covering their rights and responsibilities, while 48 players undertook coaching courses to develop opportunities beyond their playing careers.
Support also extended to players preparing to leave professional football. During the season, 160 players received transition assistance, while membership of the PFA's Past Players Program grew to 522, helping maintain connections and access to support after retirement.
Alongside these achievements, the report identifies ongoing challenges affecting players' wellbeing and career security. Among A-League Women players surveyed, 62% reported being not at all or only slightly satisfied with their balance between football, work, study and personal life, while 58% felt not at all or only slightly prepared for life after football. Among A-League Men players, 64% expressed similar concerns about retirement preparation, and 67% described their financial situation as only slightly secure or not at all secure.
The findings reinforce the importance of sustained investment in player development and support systems that respond to the realities of professional sport. While 98% of surveyed players reported satisfaction with the PDP, the report also identifies barriers to delivering services consistently across clubs, including limited access to players and scheduling restrictions.
PFA Chief Executive Beau Busch emphasised that collective bargaining has been instrumental in establishing these programmes, while recognising the need to integrate player development more consistently into the everyday operations of clubs and national teams.
For World Players, the report highlights the vital role of player unions in advancing athlete wellbeing, career development and long-term security. It reinforces a broader vision of sport in which athletes are recognised as workers and people, with access to meaningful protections, opportunities and support throughout their careers and beyond.
Read the full 2026 Player Development Program Insights & Impact Report.
Photo credit: IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire
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