The funding will be distributed among a myriad of sports but stands to greatly benefit the Sporting Schools Football program, which was delivered to 98,000 Australian children last year.

“Football engaged with nearly 100,000 kids via the Sporting Schools program last year,” FFA CEO, David Gallop said. 

“While the program delivers a great participation outcome, it also provides Australia’s Hyundai A-League and Westfield W-League clubs in each market the opportunity to develop fans."

The increase in funding comes in the wake of a 'grassroots crisis' in Australian football, in which participants in the round-ball game were found to receive a fraction of the per-participant funding towards AFL and Rugby League.

Many grassroots clubs also complained of having to turn away interest due to a lack of resources, while an ongoing debacle over the lack of female changerooms at football venues has also drawn criticism.

The budget's increase to school sports programs may provide avenues to increase interest in a sport already firmly placed as a favourite among the 8-16-year-old age group.

But whether the FFA's reported search for a $500 million increase in government funding towards football in general remains to be seen.

“The Sporting Schools program is a major component of the National Schools Strategy that FFA is currently redeveloping, as it provides an equal opportunity for both girls and boys to be introduced to football," Gallop continued.

“Football has been able to measure and benchmark the transition of participants from Sporting Schools programs to local Clubs, and our data highlights that over twenty per cent of participants make the transition from school visit to local Club registration."