The program which provides elite training and development pathways for indigenous youth in the Northern Territory will expand from two sites to 12 as part of the pledge with the government to provide multi-million-dollar funding.
The new centre will be spread across New South Wales and Queensland with the FFA to provide senior coaching staff, mentoring, training and education, as well as support pathways for all children participating in the JMF program.
Founded by first indigenous Socceroo John Moriarty - and his son James - in his birth place of Borroloola in Australia's Top End, the program has been recognised globally including finishing in the top three at the prestigious FIFA Diversity Awards in September.
John Moriarty Foundation Managing Director Ros Moriarty said the partnership was a major turning point for indigenous football in Australia.
“JMF is extremely grateful for this very significant funding commitment," Moriarty said.
"We look forward to replicating our model of football as a powerful tool for well being, supporting resilient, healthier outcomes for young players, their families and communities.”
The decision comes a little over 18 months after it was reported in the Sydney Morning Herald that the FFA had slashed funding for indigenous football to only $10,000 a year.
Despite boasting large junior participation rates, football has one of the lowest number of indigenous professional players across the major Australia sporting codes with only three current players in the A-League identified as Indigenous.
The W-League has greater representation with some of Australia's biggest names including Lydia WIlliams, Kyah Simon and Jada Whyman, while former JMF graduate Shay Evans has also earned a recent call-up to the Matildas.
Moriarty told The World Game in September that he believes Australian football is missing out on a pipeline of talent which has never truly been nurtured.
The new funding partnership in place will provide a gateway for indigenous children to maximise their potential and take their skills from the football pitch to the world.
“Football has opened up so many avenues for me and I hope our program can do the same for indigenous kids," Moriarty said.
“Their skill-sets are very good and they are very natural. Many aboriginal kids who have gone on to success in other sports were first great football players but had limited opportunities to go further.
“We need to develop the game at a national level so we can give the kids the best opportunity so they have a clear pathway to get the most out of their abilities.”
