Association Football (football or soccer as it is both referred to), has the highest participation numbers of any football code in Australia, including Western Australia. https://www.statista.com/statistics/879755/australia-sports-participants-by-type/ Association Football (Soccer/ football) in Western Australia is governed by Football West. In 1896, the first governing body was formed. Football West runs the National Premier Leagues Western Australia (the states premier competition), State Leagues, Sunday League and Metropolitan League. There are also numerous casual and school competitions, as well as futsal and indoor soccer in competitive and social games. WA will be hosting a number of FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 games and it is expected to generate over 200,000 additional tourists during the traditionally low tourist season period. The State has provided a number of well known global Football stars, with Sam Kerr being one of the best known to date. History Football was officially established in May 1896 by Sir Septimus Burt, Western Australia's first Attorney General. The Western Australia state soccer team first played in 1902 against the touring English cricket team. In subsequent years, the State team has played various matches against other nations, other states, and professional clubs in exhibition and practice matches. The first live television broadcast of a football game in Western Australia was in 1960, when the ABC showed part of a match between Swan Valley and Windmills at Bayswater Oval. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the game's foundation in Western Australia, a Hall of Fame for distinguished players was established. The first recorded women's football match in Western Australia was played in 1946. Two country ladies sides played in an exhibition match in Margaret River. National representation In 1994, a group of businessmen led by Joe Claudio formed the Perth Kangaroos IFC. The club competed in the 1994 Singapore Professional Soccer League. The Kangaroos finished the league season undefeated and easily won the Singapore league title. However, with dwindling support and resources, the experiment proved to be a financial disaster and Perth Kangaroos IFC soon folded. Perth Glory FC are the only West Australian team to compete in the current national A-League and also participated in the now defunct National Soccer League since 1996. Perth Glory men's side were one of the most successful teams of the NSL era, as premiers of 1999/2000, 2001/02 and 2003/04, and champions in 2003 and 2004. The club has had relatively less success since the beginning of