Football Federation Australia (FFA) is the governing body for the sport of football (soccer) in Australia. Before 1 January 2005, it was known as the Australian Soccer Association (ASA), which succeeded Soccer Australia in this role in 2003. Ben Buckley is currently the CEO of the FFA and Frank Lowy is the chairman.

Among other duties, the FFA oversees Australia's national soccer teams (including the Socceroos (men), the Matildas (women), the Olyroos and other various youth teams); national coaching programmes; coordination with the various state and territory governing bodies; and the national club competition. Until 2004 the national competition was the National Soccer League; the FFA launched a new national league in 2005, the A-League.

The FFA's origins lie as far back as 1911, with the formation of the Commonwealth Football Association. This body was then superseded by the Australian Soccer Association, which was formed in 1921, with its headquarters in Sydney. However this association was suspended from FIFA in 1960 for the poaching of players from overseas. In 1961 the Australian Soccer Federation was formed. However, this association was refused re-admittance with FIFA until outstanding fines had been paid. In 1963 Australia was re-admitted to FIFA after the fines were reduced and paid.

Australia ( /əˈstreɪljə/), officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent as well as the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area. Neighbouring countries include Indonesia, East Timor and Papua New Guinea to the north; the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia to the north-east; and New Zealand to the south-east.

For at least 40,000 years before European settlement in the late 18th century, Australia was inhabited by indigenous Australians, who belonged to one or more of roughly 250 language groups. After discovery by Dutch explorers in 1606, Australia's eastern half was claimed by Great Britain in 1770 and settled through penal transportation to the colony of New South Wales from 26 January 1788. The population grew steadily in subsequent decades; the continent was explored and an additional five self-governing Crown Colonies were established.

Con Constantine (born 1 July 1945) is a Cypriot-Australian businessman and the former owner of the Australian football (soccer) club Newcastle United Jets.

Con Constantine migrated to Australia with his parents and siblings from the town of Maroni, near Larnaka, Cyprus at the age of 10. At a young age, he started working in a takeaway food store before going on to sell houseplants.

In 1985 he built Parklea Markets (on the site of a former drive-in cinema), initially operating it as a plant nursery while seeking council approval. After approval was granted, Parklea Markets quickly established itself as one of the premier retail destinations in Western Sydney.

In recent years, Constantine has expanded his interests to Newcastle, 150 km north of Sydney, where he is the owner of The Store. He recently purchased two Newcastle community papers, the Newcastle & Lake Macquarie Post and the Hunter Post, from Fairfax Media. Constantine is a supporter of his local Blacktown Greek Orthodox parish as well as many legitimate Sydney and Newcastle charities.