FV Academy program from 2026

Football Victoria (FV) would like to today share an important update regarding the future of the FV Academy program.

This year marked a significant milestone with the establishment of the FV Academy — expanding to include Boys teams, alongside our longstanding Girl’s program (previously known as NTC). This full-time, expanded age-group pilot model has been ambitious and exciting, and we are incredibly proud of the commitment and development shown across all teams.

However, following a recent strategic and financial review and reforecast, FV can confirm that the full-time program will not continue in its current format after the 2025 season, as it has become evident that sustaining the current model long-term is not viable.

This means:

• 2025 Season:
  • The FV Academy will continue operating as usual for the remainder of the 2025 season -  maintaining its full-time structure, across both Boys and Girls programs.
     
• 2026 and Beyond: 
  • The Boy’s FV Academy program will cease operating in its full-time format. While FV is actively exploring part-time Academy structures, boys in the program will transition back to club-based environments for their full-time competitive football from 2026 onwards.
  • The Girls program remains under review, and we will provide a further update by June 30 regarding its future structure. FV recognises the importance of clarity and will communicate any changes as early as possible. This process will include consultation with A-League Clubs, Football Australia, FV Member Clubs and participants/parents.
• State team pathways will remain unaffected by these changes. FV will continue to provide structured development opportunities for players progressing from club level to state representation. These pathways will follow a tiered progression model, incorporating talent identification, specialised training programs, and competitive opportunities. Player selection will continue to be based on performance, technical ability, and potential.

Academy models across Australia operate in various formats, and in 2025 FV adopted a comprehensive and resource-intensive structure. Looking ahead, we plan to transition to a part-time, targeted program that continues to provide high-quality development and talent identification opportunities, in a more sustainable way.

FV has also considered the program’s alignment with the 2024-2028 Our Football strategic plan. As custodians of the game, it is essential to support player pathways in collaboration with clubs and the broader football ecosystem. We are confident a more sustainable academy structure will provide improved high-performance pathway for Victoria's best players, partnering with clubs and the broader ecosystem to provide full time programs.

FV will provide further information on the FV Academy format for both Boys and Girls from 2026 as soon as possible.