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Clearinghouse for Sport
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Touch Football

Touch football is a modified version of rugby league where players stop opponents with a touch instead of a tackle.

A modified version of rugby league, touch football was originally created by the South Sydney Junior Rugby League club as a training method.

Discover more about touch football

Clearinghouse evidence base:

Evolution:

  • Australian Touch Association [1978-2004]
  • Touch Football Australia [2004-]

Participation

A touch football

An estimated 161,000 Australians [aged 15+] participated in touch football at least once in 2025. 2

Rugby goal posts

An estimated 57,000 Australian children [aged 0-14] participated in touch football at least once in 2025. 2

A football boot

An estimated 59,000 Australian women [aged 15+] and an estimated 102,000 Australian men [aged 15+] participated in touch football at least once in 2025. 2

Explore further participation statistics for touch football through the AusPlay online portal., opens in a new tab

Governing body

Touch Football Australia, opens in a new tab is the organisation recognised by governments at all levels as the national controlling body for the sport of touch football in Australia.

History

The South Sydney Touch Association was formed in 1968, helping establish touch football as a stand-alone sport. The growth of competitions led to the creation of the New South Wales Touch Association in 1972, with other state associations following soon after. 1

The Australian Touch Association was established in 1978 as the national governing body, and the first national championships were held in 1980. In 2004, the organisation became Touch Football Australia.

Documents

The Clearinghouse for Sport has sought permission from relevant organisations for the inclusion of their documents in this archive. Copyright ownership remains vested with the organisation and as such permission from the copyright owner should be sought if you wish to communicate, adapt or reproduce these documents.

REFERENCES
  1. Touch Football's History, Touch Football Australia, opens in a new tab, (accessed 26 August 2026)
  2. AusPlay Data Portal: Participation by activity, opens in a new tab, Australian Sports Commission, (accessed 1 September 2026)

Content disclaimer: See Clearinghouse for Sport disclaimer

Is this information complete? The Clearinghouse for Sport is a sector-wide knowledge sharing initiative, and as such your contributions are encouraged and appreciated. If you would like to suggest a resource, submit a publication, or provide feedback on this page, please contact us.

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