Football Australia to post $8.5 million loss, write off A-Leagues debts as Johnson exits as CEO

APL sources, however, argue that money is also owed in the other direction, and that FA has allegedly not paid them certain amounts they are due in the five years since separation. Despite the dispute, sources on both sides spoke of goodwill between the two bodies, particularly at board level, and of hope that agreements would be reached in the coming months.

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The rest of FA’s loss can be attributed to several other one-off factors, including the lack of major tournaments – and therefore prizemoney – in the 2024 financial year. FA also wore $11.5 million in costs related to the procurement of AFC broadcast rights, which were on-sold to Network 10 and Paramount as part of a new $200 million, four-year deal for national team content, and which will bear out as a profit over time.

Significantly, employee-related expenses rose from $27 million in 2023 to almost $50 million. Some of those costs relate to the change of two national team coaches, former Socceroos boss Graham Arnold and ex-Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson, including severance payments for them and their support staff.

There are, however, many critics within the industry – and some within FA – about the levels of the federation’s expenditure and the extent to which the organisation’s headcount had swollen under Johnson.

FA appointed a new chief financial officer, Caroline Veitch, less than a year ago.

Johnson’s exit is not believed to directly relate to FA’s financial results, and that he has been mulling his future for some time. He is expected to soon move to a new position overseas after assisting the board and interim chief executive Heather Garriock with the transition to a full-time CEO.

Garriock has also withdrawn her nomination to be re-elected to FA’s board at the AGM later this month and will remain in charge as the federation embarks on what it says will be a “local and global” search for a new chief executive.

“It has been a privilege to lead Football Australia for the past five-and-a-half years, having had the pleasure to work alongside the most talented, committed and dedicated staff, executives and board members,” Johnson said in a statement on Thursday, announcing his resignation.

“As someone who is immensely passionate about Australian football, this decision has not come easy, but I believe the time is right to step down.

“I want to extend my thank you to the Football Australia board and everyone within the Australian football community for their support during my tenure. Football is a local and global sport so no matter where I am, I will always be here to support Football Australia and Australian football.”

Johnson, a former player, high-ranking executive with the City Football Group and head of professional football at FIFA, was appointed in January 2020 as the successor to long-time chief executive David Gallop.

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His tenure began during a time of significant turbulence for the Australian game. Just weeks after he took the job, the COVID-19 crisis forced Johnson to stand down 70 per cent of the federation’s staff, and then negotiate the end of Fox Sports’ rights agreement to broadcast the A-Leagues and the national teams, later signing bumper deals with Network 10 and Paramount.

He then oversaw the formal separation of the A-Leagues, a process which was already in train before his appointment, handing over commercial and operational control of the men’s and women’s professional competitions to the newly formed Australian Professional Leagues (APL) in 2021.

Australia’s senior national teams have both hit new heights during Johnson’s time as CEO, both on and off the field. The Socceroos produced a record finish at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar under Arnold, while the Matildas were semi-finalists at the home 2023 Women’s World Cup, the hosting rights for which were secured partly thanks to Johnson’s extensive global contacts. Those relationships have also helped net the rights to host the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup.

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