James Johnson was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Football Australia in January 2020.
A qualified lawyer and retired footballer, James is a sports administrator who has represented governing bodies, clubs and players.
He was previously head of professional football at International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), where he managed the secretariat of the football stakeholders committee. At FIFA, he established relationships with international clubs, leagues and players.
Prior to this, James was director of international relations and development at the Asian Football Confederation. He oversaw relationships with Asia’s 46 national associations, development activities, as well as ethics and integrity at the organisation. He also worked for Professional Footballers Australia, managing strategic relationships with professional footballer players and legal affairs.
As a lawyer, James practiced in the private sector in corporate governance, industrial relations and commercial litigation. He has a degree in business administration, minoring in finance, from Boston University (USA), a Juris Doctorate (Hons) from Bond University (Australia) and a legal diploma from the College of Law (Australia).
James has been a featured speaker at sports conferences across the globe and recently received international recognition through the Leaders Under 40 Awards which recognise the best global talent in the sports business.
As a footballer, James represented Australia at a youth level and has played for various clubs in Australia, Asia and the USA.
Updates from the Sport Group
Champions of Change Sport
James Johnson is a Member of the Champions of Change Sport Group established in 2015. The Sport Group includes leaders from every major sport in Australia, and of some of Australia’s most successful sporting clubs. The group is focused on advancing women in leadership, pay equality and creating safe, respectful and inclusive sporting environments.