Profile

Craig Foster is one of Australia’s most respected former athletes known for his contribution to Australian society well beyond the playing field.

With 29 appearances for the Australian National Team (Socceroos) including as Captain, Craig spent a professional playing career in Australia, Asia and England followed by a multiple Logie-winning broadcast career with the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) alongside some of the great icons of football broadcasting including Johnny Warren and Les Murray.

Current Work

Craig is perhaps equally as well known for his work beyond the field or screen, however, through the social programs he has developed and supports as well as his advocacy for sport and human rights.

In 2018/19, Craig became a National hero in leading a global advocacy and lobbying campaign for an imprisoned young, refugee footballer in a Thai prison, Hakeem al-Araibi, who was in danger of extradition to Bahrain where he faced a repeat of torture suffered in 2012 and, many believed, possible loss of life after speaking out against a member of the Royal family.

Craig worked closely with the Australian Foreign Ministry and Embassy in Bangkok, travelled the world to lobby FIFA and the United Nations, lobbied Governments and Embassies in Thailand and coordinated with numerous stakeholders including World Players United, FIFPro, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network to result in the release of Hakeem and safe return to his young wife in Australia.

Craig was personally thanked by both the Australian Foreign Minister, Marise Payne and Prime Minister, Scott Morrison and acknowledged by FIFA for leading the global advocacy campaign.

Craig is also a member of the Multicultural Council of Australia, tasked with ensuring the ongoing social harmony of Australia’s diverse and changing population and works with a vast range of social programs in indigenous football, homelessness, domestic violence, refugee advocacy as an Ambassador for Human Rights and Refugees with Amnesty Australia, developed a primary school initiative with the Australian Government for Harmony Day and is a former Chairman, Life Member and CEO of Professional Footballers Australia (PFA), Australia’s representative body of the Socceroos, Matildas and professional players around the world.

Previous Experience

Education: Craig has a Masters of International Sport Management and Postgraduate Degree in Football Management and is completing his law degree.

Keep reading

Expertise

Talking Points

Leadership

#SaveHakeem - the fight for a young man’s life

Successful Advocacy - Creating a Global Campaign

Creating Power Global Movements on Social Media

Standing Up for What’s Right

Rediscovering Australian Values - What are they?

The Values of Sport - Helping to Shape Society

Beyond the Field - Athletes Activism and the Responsibility to Give Back

Multiculturalism - the Strength in the Mix

Women in Male Dominated Industries

Supporting Women in Leadership

Topics

Business

Diversity & Inclusion

Politics & Advocacy

Leadership
Human Rights

Media

Video

Craig Foster

Craig Foster | How people power saved Hakeem al-Araibi’s life | Australian Story

Feedback

Thanks for your time yesterday. It was a great day, made all the better for your involvement. Just wanted to let you know that everyone, and I mean everyone, thought you were fantastic. We s ... keep readingnuck the lunchtime speaker onto our feedback form and you received 5 out of 5 from every delegate (even from people who know nothing about soccer). Thanks again! It really is the beautiful game. Strategic Purchasing

It was again a pleasure to have you with us in Hobart for our gala diner. Supurb insight, intense passion for the game and encyclopedic knowledge. It was amazing to see how you could capture the people in the room, and I'm sure most of them do not remember the food they had!

Areva

Your presentation was captivating and so much more than expected.

Rotary International

Craig was a pleasure to work with, very engaging and passionate and has some great insights around how teamwork can impact on an organisation's culture.

Commonwealth Bank

Craig was great, on time and delivered what was expected. A very good presenter who kept the crowd’s attention all the time and his videos were great too.

BEA Systems