James Johnson has resigned as chief executive officer of Football Australia, bringing to a close a transformative five-and-a-half-year reign at the helm of the national body.
Johnson has informed FA’s board of his decision to leave the job and will stay on for a period of time to support the transition to a new CEO. Former Matilda Heather Garriock, a board member since 2021, will serve as interim CEO during the search for a full-time replacement.
Football Australia CEO James Johnson has stepped down after five and a half years.Credit: James Brickwood
“It has been a privilege to lead Football Australia for the past five-and-a-half years, having had the pleasure to work alongside the most talented, committed and dedicated staff, executives and board members,” Johnson said in a statement.
“As someone who is immensely passionate about Australian football, this decision has not come easy, but I believe the time is right to step down.
“I want to extend my thank you to the Football Australia board and everyone within the Australian football community for their support during my tenure. Football is a local and global sport so no matter where I am, I will always be here to support Football Australia and Australian football.”
Johnson, a former player, high-ranking executive with the City Football Group and head of professional football at FIFA, was appointed in January 2020 as the successor to long-time chief executive David Gallop.
His tenure began during a time of significant turbulence for the Australian game. Just weeks after he took the job, the COVID-19 crisis forced Johnson to stand down 70 per cent of the federation’s staff, and then negotiate the end of Fox Sports’ rights agreement to broadcast the A-Leagues and the national teams, later signing bumper deals with Network 10 and Paramount.
He then oversaw the formal separation of the A-Leagues, a process which was already in train before his appointment, handing over commercial and operational control of the men’s and women’s professional competitions to the newly formed Australian Professional Leagues (APL) in 2021. Relations between FA and the APL have been strained in recent years, with the latter organisation and its clubs suffering from significant financial turmoil.
Australia’s senior national teams have both hit new heights during Johnson’s time as CEO, both on and off the field. The Socceroos produced a record finish at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar under Graham Arnold, having negotiated a tense play-off victory over Peru to qualify for the tournament, while the Matildas were semi-finalists at the home 2023 Women’s World Cup, the hosting rights for which were secured partly thanks to Johnson’s extensive global contacts, particularly at FIFA and within the Asian Football Confederation, where he also worked. Those relationships have also helped net the rights to host the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup.
Johnson appointed two national team coaches: Tony Popovic, who has steered the Socceroos to the brink of qualification for the next World Cup after Arnold’s exit last year, and Tony Gustavsson, who quit after the Matildas’ failed Paris Olympics campaign. FA is believed to have reached an agreement with Joe Montemurro to replace Gustavsson as the new permanent coach of the Matildas, with reports from Europe this week claiming he was poised to part ways with French club Olympique Lyonnais at the end of this season.
Other reforms Johnson has pursued at FA include overhauls of domestic transfer system rules, designed to encourage clubs to prioritise youth development and better leverage the global transfer market, and the establishment of a national second-tier competition, the Australian Championship, which is due to launch later this year. FA has also hit record financial revenues during Johnson’s reign, underpinned by a series of significant new corporate partnerships with the likes of the Commonwealth Bank, Subway and Cadbury.
Tony Popovic (right) at his appointment as Socceroos coach last September, with Football Australia chief executive James Johnson (left).Credit: Getty Images
Even the name of the federation itself has changed – from Football Federation Australia to just Football Australia – during Johnson’s time in the chair.
Johnson leaves FA, and football in Australia, at a critical juncture, with serious questions lingering over the direction and viability of the A-Leagues and the sport’s broader trajectory. His successor will face a familiar set of challenges: funding, fragmentation, and the ongoing quest to unify and fully harness the untapped potential of Australian football.
His departure comes amid a period of significant personnel change at management level at FA and what sources say has been a greater involvement of board members in day-to-day decisions.
It’s unclear who FA will be targeting as Johnson’s replacement. He beat two others to the job: Brendan Schwab, who has recently taken up a new role as general manager of legal affairs and player advocacy with the AFL Players’ Association; and Robert Cavallucci, who has served as Football Queensland’s chief executive since November 2019.
“James has guided Football Australia through extraordinary challenges and leaves a great legacy. We wish him every success for the future,” said FA chair Anter Isaac.
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