Football Federation Victoria - History

History

Football Federation Victoria began operation in 1884 under the name Anglo Australian Football Association of Victoria and is one of the oldest sporting associations in Victoria. It has had several name changes over the years, but has survived as the governing body of soccer in Victoria since this time. The Football Association (Australia), the predecessor of Football Federation Australia (FFA) was formed in 1923.

The Federation conducted its first competition in 1909 with Carlton United becoming the inaugural First Division Champions. The name of the competition was changed to the State League in 1958, and later became the Victorian Premier League in 1990, a name it retains until today.

In 1992 and 1993, Wheelchair soccer was conceived when a "Come’n’try" was conducted with the support of Leisure Action (LA) a division of the Spastic Society. A pilot season resulted in the northwest region, the success of which lead LA to source funding and development partners. Early in 1995 the FFV agreed to become the auspicing body for the future development of Wheelchair Soccer in Victoria and in 2000 signed an agreed to that effect.

In 1996 the then Board of Management of the FFV initiated a major organisational review and obtained independent advice on the current management structure and the organisational arrangements required to make the administration of soccer more effective. The review resulted in the formation of an Independent Commission, replacing the Board, and was duly elected in December 1996.

To provide for the future development of women's soccer, in 1999 the FFV and Women's Soccer Victoria combined and established an integrated structure to provide professional administrative services and infrastructure to all female participants in soccer. This resulted in a women's soccer competition for junior and senior teams starting in 1999 and other initiatives aimed at grass roots and elite player development.

In 2005 it officially changed its name from Victorian Soccer Federation (VSF) to Football Federation Victoria, to fall in line with the national reform process, where the sport rebranded itself as football.

In 2009, player registrations for football in Victoria have passed 50,000, the highest number in the federation's history.

As part of its strategy to become a more "customer focussed" organisation, in November 2009 the head office of Football Federation Victoria moved from its location at the International Sports Centre in Thornbury in Melbourne's northern suburbs to its new more centrally located headquarters at Level 3, 436 St Kilda Road, Melbourne.