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.
In 2021 Craig Foster was made a member of the general division of the Order of Australia for his for significant service to multiculturalism, to human rights and refugee support organisations, and to football.
Previous Experience
Education: Craig has a Masters of International Sport Management and Postgraduate Degree in Football Management and is completing his law degree.
Talking Points
Leadership
Leadership
#SaveHakeem - the fight for a young man’s life
#SaveHakeem - the fight for a young man’s life
Successful Advocacy - Creating a Global Campaign
Successful Advocacy - Creating a Global Campaign
Creating Power Global Movements on Social Media
Creating Power Global Movements on Social Media
Standing Up for What’s Right
Standing Up for What’s Right
Rediscovering Australian Values - What are they?
Rediscovering Australian Values - What are they?
The Values of Sport - Helping to Shape Society
The Values of Sport - Helping to Shape Society
Beyond the Field - Athletes Activism and the Responsibility to Give Back
Beyond the Field - Athletes Activism and the Responsibility to Give Back
Multiculturalism - the Strength in the Mix
Multiculturalism - the Strength in the Mix
Women in Male Dominated Industries
Women in Male Dominated Industries
Supporting Women in Leadership
Supporting Women in Leadership
Video
Craig Foster
Craig Foster is one of Australia's most recognisable sports commentators and a highly respected voice in the fastest growing sport in the country, football. Craig is the face of SBS Television's UEFA Champions League coverage, veteran broadcaster of three FIFA World Cups and leading member of The World Game, Australia's most popular weekly football show. He has also anchored the network's 2008 Beijing Olympics coverage, is the lead sports presenter on World News Australia, a respected and forthright football columnist with the Sun Herald, author of Fozz on Football -- where he expands on his vision for Australia to one day win the FIFA World Cup - and Australia's sole judge for the prestigious Ballon d'Or for world footballer of the year, awarded jointly by FIFA and France Football magazine.Craig Foster | How people power saved Hakeem al-Araibi’s life | Australian Story
Former Socceroos captain and respected football analyst Craig Foster has been an outspoken, sometimes controversial public broadcaster, driven by an unrivalled passion for the game. But privately, he has led another life, working with those less fortunate than himself. And in November last year, when a fellow football international, Bahraini refugee Hakeem Al-Araibi, was arrested in Thailand and threatened with extradition back to the country where he had been imprisoned and tortured, Craig Foster led a global campaign to free him.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 reading 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!
Your presentation was captivating and so much more than expected.
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.
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.
