In a new three-year $4.5m partnership with federal government. the FFA will provide the JMF program with coaching staff, mentoring, training and education.

And the new scheme will aim to identify talented youngsters and give them support and pathways to national football programs. 

John Moriarty was the first Indigenous Australia to be called up to a Socceroos squad after his talent shone at club level in South Australia in the 60s before moving into coaching kids.

His JMF program featured in FourFourTwo magazine and he took a group of local players from the NT to Brazil for the 2014 World Cup where they met the Socceroos.

John's wife and JMF Managing Director Ros Moriarty said: “JMF is extremely grateful for this very significant funding commitment.

"We look forward to replicating our model of football as a powerful tool for wellbeing, supporting resilient, healthier outcomes for young players, their families and communities.”

FFA CEO David Gallop said he was delighted to expand the program from the current two sites in the Northern Territory.

“FFA has been a keen supporter of John Moriarty Football for several years, with Westfield Matildas Head Coach Alen Stajcic visiting Borroloola and scouting Shay Evans back in 2014," he said.

"We’re delighted this announcement will enable us to greatly increase our involvement and help achieve our vision of involving more Indigenous Australians in football, as players, coaches, referees and administrators.

“The reality is that football’s ability to make an ongoing impact in Indigenous communities has been inconsistent over the years, but our strategy of building strong, meaningful partnerships with the Commonwealth Government is producing dividends and will ensure our efforts are sustainable into the future.”

Indigenous Health Minister Ken Wyatt added: “This is a game-changing move for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, designed to help children between two and 16 to reach their full potential in football, in education and in life.

“We have seen the success in the remote Northern Territory centres of Borroloola and Robinson River which have been involved in the program since it was established in 2012, with more than 90 per cent of children in Borroloola now participating.”

The announcement builds on the FFA Multicultural Program which offers ALDI MiniRoos football for new arrival refugees across New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.

Gallop added “We would like to thank Minister Wyatt for his continued encouragement and engagement, resulting in this fantastic announcement that will have a huge impact on the lives of Indigenous Australians.

“We look forward to working closely with John Moriarty Football to generate significant health and community benefits while offering a pathway for Indigenous footballers to emulate the success of Young Matilda Shay.”