SMJFL Renews Commitment to Women and Girls in Football for 2026

The South Metro Junior Football League (SMJFL) is proud to renew its annual commitment to women and girls in football for the second year as a signatory to the Australian Football League (AFL)'s Women & Girls Community Football Charter.

SMJFL CEO Jamie Howden said, "We are proud to renew our commitment to the Women and Girls Charter, reinforcing our support for women and girls in junior football and our ongoing focus on providing a safe and inclusive environment for our community".

The Women & Girls Community Football Charter is an initiative which invites community football leagues, clubs, and umpire groups to make community football environments welcoming, safe and inclusive for women and girls through the principles of opportunity, visibility, access, and investment.

The SMJFL is leading the way in women's and girls' inclusion in junior football, this year launching its standalone Under 8s Girls competition to complete the pathway from Auskick all the way to senior women's football in every age group. This marks the first year of equal competitions across girls' and boys' competitions in the League, a feat achieved by only a small number of leagues across the country.

The League's commitment to celebrating women and girls in football was also on show at the 2026 Season Launch. For the first time in the SMJFL's history, a female match served as the season opener, with the St Peters/Cheltenham and Murrumbeena U16 Girls teams delivering a one-point thriller under the lights at RSEA Park. The evening also featured a Q&A with St Kilda AFLW captain Hannah Priest and vice-captain Serene Watson, who shared their journeys in the game with club presidents, secretaries, board members and the SMJFL's partners.

"This charter provides a clear framework to deliver meaningful and lasting outcomes across the League over the next 12 months, from increasing on-field participation to strengthening off-field recognition and celebration of women and girls," added Liam Hollingsworth, SMJFL Club Development & Community Lead.

Previous SMJFL initiatives include the appointment of a Female Umpire Liaison Officer in 2021, the introduction of the Women and Girls Academy (formerly the Female Development Academy) in 2023, and the transition to a more inclusive umpire uniform in 2026. In addition, the SMJFL Umpire Academy is a signatory to the Charter in its own right.

The SMJFL is proud to be making progress in this space, and is excited about what's still to come.