PlayHQ and American Football Australia Partner to Power the Sport's Next Phase of Growth

PlayHQ and American Football Australia Partner to Power the Sport's Next Phase of Growth

MELBOURNE, Australia – 26 August, 2026 - PlayHQ, a global leader in competition management platforms, and American Football Australia (AFA), the national governing body for the sport, have announced a strategic partnership that will see AFA adopt PlayHQ as its single technology partner for registration, payments and competition management as the sport continues to scale across the country.

The partnership comes at a pivotal moment for the sport in Australia. American football is one of the fastest-growing sporting markets in the country, buoyed by a fanbase of more than 8.8 million and the sport's rising national and international profile. With Melbourne hosting its first NFL game in September, participation is accelerating across Australia and  a single connected platform gives AFA the structure and scale to convert that momentum into sustainable grassroots growth.

Tim MacKinnon, Chief Executive Officer of PlayHQ, said:

"American Football Australia came to us with a clear goal: to build the foundations to grow the sport at scale. We are pleased to be their technology partner, providing a platform built for grassroots sport that gives administrators and volunteers time back, and gives players a straightforward experience from the moment they register."

AFA evaluated its options before selecting PlayHQ, weighing each system against administrative efficiency, competition management, payments flexibility, data and reporting, and participant experience. PlayHQ emerged as the platform best placed to meet AFA's current needs while supporting its long-term growth.

Alongside registration and competition management, AFA and its member states will have reporting and analytics through AnalyticsHQ to track participation and growth, while PlayHQ's in-platform AI assistant, streamlines onboarding and training for states and clubs, helping the sport get up and running quickly.

Wade Kelly, Chief Executive Officer of American Football Australia, said:

"PlayHQ is a market leader and we are pleased they share the same vision of extraordinary growth for our sport in the coming years. PlayHQ takes administrative load off our volunteers, gives families a simpler and more flexible way to register and pay, and gives us the data we need to make good decisions as the sport develops across the country, from grassroots clubs through to our high-performance pathways."

For participants, PlayHQ introduces a modern, app-first experience where players and families can register, manage payments, access schedules and stay connected to their clubs from their mobile devices, reducing barriers to getting on the field while giving AFA a direct relationship with its community.

The platform and mobile app goes live for AFA's 2026 tackle and flag season, with registrations opening in early August 2026 ahead of a September competition start. PlayHQ and AFA are working together with states and clubs through onboarding and training as part of a phased rollout.

The partnership strengthens PlayHQ's position in Australia and reinforces the platform's proven track record of serving over 11 million participants and 100,000 administrators globally across cricket, netball, AFL, hockey and basketball.

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‍About PlayHQ

PlayHQ is a competition management platform partnering with leading sports organisations across Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, including Basketball England, Basketball Australia, Australian Football League, Netball Australia, Cricket Australia, Cricket New Zealand, and Hockey New Zealand. Developed from five years of feedback, supporting over 11 million registrations and over 100,000 administrators and volunteers, PlayHQ is on a mission to unlock the life-changing power of grassroots sport by driving participation and engagement. The cloud-based platform simplifies registration, payments, competition management, live scoring, results, websites, apps and participant engagement for millions of players, parents, coaches, volunteers, and administrators. For more information, visit get.playhq.com

‍About American Football Australia

American Football Australia (AFA) is the national governing body for American football in Australia, responsible for the development of both tackle and flag football. Recognised by the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) as the national sporting organisation for the sport and a full member of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), AFA oversees national competitions and the development of Australia's national teams from grassroots to elite level. Formerly Gridiron Australia, the body rebranded to American Football Australia in 2024, and its ecosystem spans seven active member states and around 50 clubs nationwide. For more information, visit americanfootball.org.au