Football Australia has announced a partnership with Milo that sees the iconic drink brand return to football sponsorship as an official partner of MiniRoos, Australia’s official junior football program.

The partnership aims to provide more opportunities for children to participate in football and support growth in youth and senior football. In 2023, nearly 240,000 children participated in MiniRoos, a program designed for boys and girls aged 4-12. Football participation in 2023 grew by 12% to 1,715,441 participants, with an 8% increase in outdoor football registrations from the previous year.

CEO of Football Australia, James Johnson, was thrilled to welcome iconic brand, Milo as official partner of the highly popular MiniRoos program.

“This exciting new partnership brings together two of Australia’s most-loved brands in Milo and MiniRoos to deliver the number one junior sporting program in the country at a time where participation and registration numbers are surging buoyed by the performances of our Subway Socceroos and CommBank Matildas, who continue to capture the hearts and minds of Australians,” he said.

Nestlé Dairy Business Manager, Rebecca Dobbins, also expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership. “Milo promotes the idea that the values learned through sports can be applied to life, so we are thrilled to provide access to sports activities through our partnership with Football Australia and MiniRoos,” she said.

“It’s the perfect timing, as the sport grows, to help support the momentum of grassroots activities – something that’s been close to the heart of the Milo brand for many decades.”

Milo will engage with participants across MiniRoos programs; Kick-Off, Club, and Sporting Schools. The brand will feature on MiniRoos participants and coaching workforce apparel, gain access to sampling opportunities at Football Australia events, integrate into MiniRoos education resources, and Football Australia digital channels and social media activity.

Johnson believed the partnership will have a significant impact on the future of football in Australia. “Together with Milo, we will provide a greater opportunity for more girls and boys to participate in football by delivering a positive playing environment for children aged 4 – 12 nationwide. This increased participation in MiniRoos will support Aussie kids to become more active, underpin growth in youth and senior football, and lay the platform for the future success of Australia’s national teams.”

Milo is the latest brand to partner with Football Australia, joining Nike, CommBank, Subway, Cadbury, CUPRA, LEGO, and Qantas.