Soccer in Tasmania

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistic, soccer is the highest participation sport amongst Tasmanian children aged 5–14 years (17.5%), attracting 23.7% males and 10.9% females.

The first recorded game took place in Hobart on 10 May 1879 when the Cricketers Football Club played a scratch match.

The first recorded inter-club match took place a month later when the Cricketers took on New Town FC on 7 June (Hobart Mercury), described as English Association Rules.

The first recorded competition was established in 1900 when an organised league was set up comprising three teams - Trinity, Gunners and Sandy Bay.

In 1951 a touring English Football Association team defeated Tasmania 11–0 at North Hobart Oval.

[5] Three days later at York Park, Launceston, the FA team won 17–0, Jimmy Hagan scoring eight goals.

A National Soccer League game was held in Launceston, Tasmania in 2002 between Perth Glory and Melbourne Knights at Aurora Stadium.

A 2007 repeat of the Melbourne Victory, Adelaide United pre-season cup fixture saw 8,061 at Aurora Stadium.

On 25 July 2010 Melbourne Victory hosted Central Coast Mariners in another preseason game at Aurora Stadium.

FFT occasionally selects an ad-hoc team from local leagues to play against large interstate clubs such as against Central Coast Mariners in July 2010[19] and Melbourne Victory in 2012.

Football Federation Tasmania sends male and female youth teams to national talent carnivals held annually.

In 2009 the State Championship was changed to incorporate a 3-week knock out Final series consisting of the top 4 teams from the Northern and Southern Premier Leagues.

Women's and junior competitions are also run in the North and South of the state by Football Federation Tasmania.

The Steve Hudson Cup unlike most competitions in Tasmania is organised by the Launceston Soccer Club and not by FFT.