Football Australia is pleased to confirm that the newly revamped 2025 Emerging Matildas Championships and 2025 Emerging Socceroos Championships will take place in Sydney and Melbourne, respectively, in July 2025.
Formerly known as the National Youth Championships - Football Australia recently announced a bold evolution of the tournament by introducing a new name, identity and vision. As Australia's premier annual youth football event, the Championships will set a new benchmark for elite youth development, further enhancing pathways for the country's brightest young talents.
Held over 12 days, the Emerging Socceroos Championships will take place at the Home of the Matildas at La Trobe University in Melbourne for the Under 15 and 16 Boys from 6 - 11 July 2025. The Emerging Matildas Championships will occur at Valentine Sports Park in Sydney for the Under 15 and 16 Girls from 15 - 20 July 2025.
As the flagship youth competitions in the Australian football calendar, these Championships will bring together teams from Football Australia's nine State and Territory Member Federations, all vying for the coveted national title while showcasing their talent in front of national team technical staff.
Embedded within Football Australia's talent identification scheme, the Championships have long been a launchpad for future CommBank Matildas and Subway Socceroos. Many of today's household names, including Mackenzie Arnold (Football QLD), Jordan Bos (Football VIC), Kyra Cooney-Cross (Football VIC), Emily van Egmond (NNSW Football), Charlotte Grant (Football SA), Josh Nisbet (Football NSW), Hayley Raso (Football QLD), and Kye Rowles (Football QLD), all took their first steps towards international football through this tournament.
The 2025 Emerging Matildas Championships and 2025 Emerging Socceroos Championships will feature up to 58 teams across the two events, showcasing some of the most talented youth footballers from across Australia.
Football Australia Chief Executive Officer James Johnson said: "The introduction of the Emerging Socceroos Championships and Emerging Matildas Championships represents a defining step forward for youth development in Australian football.
"By hosting these tournaments at the Home of the Matildas in Melbourne and Valentine Sports Park in Sydney, we are ensuring that our next generation of talent gains exposure to elite facilities that mirror the environments of our senior national teams.
"This decision reinforces our ambition to strengthen the connection between youth football and the professional level, providing the perfect platform for players, coaches, and match officials to excel," Johnson concluded.
Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said: "We're the sporting capital of Australia and we're excited to host this tournament at the Home of the Matildas. A warm welcome to all the emerging football stars, their families, officials and fans who will visit Melbourne for these Championships - events like this fill our hotels and restaurants, and back local businesses and jobs."
The 2025 Emerging Matildas Championships are proudly supported by the NSW Government's tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
2025 Emerging Socceroos Championships
Venue: Home of the Matildas, Bundoora, Melbourne, Victoria
Dates: 6 - 11 July 2025
2025 Emerging Matildas Championships
Venue: Valentine Sports Park, Glenwood, Sydney, New South Wales
Dates: 15 - 20 July 2025
Fixtures and squads for the 2025 Emerging Matildas Championship and Emerging Socceroos Championship will be released in the coming months.
