Football Australia condemns booing of welcome ceremony at cup final

Football Australia chief executive Martin Kugeler has condemned fans who booed the Welcome to Country ceremony before the Australia Cup final.

In a statement, Kugeler said the behaviour conflicted with the respect and inclusion the federation considers central to football. He thanked Colin Hunter Junior and the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people for welcoming spectators to their traditional Country.

The incident preceded Saturday's match at AAMI Park, where South Melbourne beat Melbourne Victory in a penalty shootout. Kugeler described the final as a historic occasion and praised the atmosphere created by most spectators.

Victorian sports minister Steve Dimopoulos also criticised the booing. He urged respect for Indigenous peoples, drawing a comparison with the welcome Australia had offered generations of migrants. He thanked spectators whose cheering drowned out the jeers.

A similar incident occurred before the 2022 Australia Cup final between Sydney United 58 and Macarthur FC. Football Australia previously established an Indigenous advisory group to bring First Nations perspectives into its decisions and support participation in the sport.