A new exhibition opening at Melbourne’s Immigration Museum is shining a spotlight on the way football has helped generations of Australians find belonging, community and identity.
Home is Football: Belonging in Australian Soccer opens on 13 June, bringing together personal stories from players across professional, grassroots and community football to explore how the world game connects people from all walks of life.
Created in partnership with Melbourne Victory and Professional Footballers Australia, the exhibition goes beyond goals and trophies, instead focusing on the role football plays in shaping lives both on and off the pitch.
Visitors can step inside immersive installations including a pitch-turf video wall, where football stories unfold from the perspective of the sidelines, while exhibits trace the sport’s evolution across Australia’s multicultural communities.
Among the featured voices are Ange Postecoglou, Lydia Williams, Hakeem al-Araibi, Thomas Deng and Bahara Kohistani, each sharing personal experiences of identity, migration, resilience and connection through football.
The exhibition also highlights the importance of local clubs and community football, featuring stories from blind football team The Bilbies, Melbourne Rovers Soccer Club, the Brunswick Zebras and former Matildas player Andrea Martin.
“These stories offer such a beautiful insight into the power of sport to forge communities and create a sense of belonging,” Museums Victoria CEO and Director Lynley Crosswell said.
“Football has become a home and safe space for so many waves of immigrants moving to Australia, so an exhibition like this fits perfectly in the Immigration Museum’s welcoming walls.”
Melbourne Victory Director of Football John Didulica said football creates a unique sense of connection that extends far beyond the game itself.
“The exhibition explores this theme and celebrates how the fusion of people and experiences establishes an unrivalled feeling of belonging.”
Home is Football: Belonging in Australian Soccer opens at Immigration Museum on 13 June and runs until 27 January 2027 during museum hours from 10am to 5pm.
