Touch Football: score a try.

Touch ‘footy’ is a simple, fun sport everyone can play at any age, gender or ability. It’s Australia’s largest social sport with 70,000 Australians playing and just under half of those are female. Modified versions mean there’s a place for everyone on the field. The aim is to run with ball towards the try line without being touched by players from the other team, but you can only pass backwards. There’s no tackling, games are short (45 mins) and the only skills you need are being able to run, pass and catch. A great sport to get fit and you can advance to the National Rugby League if you wish or play at the elite level one day as an Australian Emu named after one of our National emblems for their power, athleticisim and ability to run fast and all day.

Touch Football Australia

Touch Football Australia (TFA) is the governing body of the sport of NRL Touch Football in this country whose focus is to enhance the experiences of everyone involved in Touch Football to grow Touch Footy across Australia. There’s a range of competitions available:  Juniors – 5-17yo; Adults – 18-75+; Womens, Mens, Mixed. You can play Representative Touch at State or National level to Premiership and national representative teams, Aussie Emus for Females, Males, Mixed and all ages.  NRL League Touch offers a modified format with league rules for 13+yo in mixed competitions. Check what your state offers. 

Touch Football South Australia

The home of Touch Football in SA. Touch Football SA has Associations in many areas of our state, so you can join a Club near you – Netherby, Eastwood, Paradise, Mt Gambier, Pt Lincoln, Tanunda and Whyalla Norrie.  

All Abilities Touch Football

A completely inclusive program providing opportunities for people with intellectual and/or physical impairments to learn Touch skills and play sport alongside family members, carers, friends, elite football players and the wider community. Currently available in NSW, Qld and NT, but keep an eye out for opportunities in SA. 

Sporting Schools, with the support of Deaf Sports Australia, can facilitate an Active Deaf Kids program in Touch Footy.    

Indigenous Touch Football

Touch Football Australia recognises and celebrate their commitment, history and connection to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ heritage through their inaugural Reflect RAP and wants to see more opportunities for indigenous people to engage with Touch Footy.  Touch Footy is formally recognised as being founded on the Eora nation in 1968, but variations can be linked to traditional indigenous games such as buroinjin, played by the Kabi Kabi people of south Queensland.

Annual knockout competitions are held in November for 12 and Under Mixed, 16 and Under Mixed and Open Mixed. 

Other Resources

• Schools competitions for Juniors All Schools Mixed Yrs 7/8; All Schools Mixed Yrs 9/10.   
• Carnivals offered by Independent Girls Schools Sports Association, for Years 7/8 and 9/10/11. 
• Sporting Schools Touch Football programs are available for primary and secondary students in Year 7 and Year 8.