Greek Australian Chris Nikou has announced he’ll be stepping down as Chair of Football Australia (FA) in November.

Nikou, who became Chair of FA in 2018 after joining the board in 2014, will not seek re-election at the upcoming Annual General Meeting on November 22, and will continue the role until the end of the AGM.

This comes after a monumental period for the sport in Australia, with the Matildas’ World Cup performance, taking them to the semi-finals last month and the Socceroos’ best performance at the world stage last year.

Off the back of this, Nikou says this momentum built now sees a pivotal time for Australian soccer that will be further enhanced by new people at the top.

He says he is honoured to have sat as Chair and is excited about where soccer is headed in Australia.

“I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together, and I am also excited about the current state of the sport and Football Australia’s position both at home and internationally,” he said.

“Being in this role has been really fulfilling… we’ve managed to transform the sport significantly.

“Now feels like the right time for a change and to pass on the baton to a new Chair. It is important for an organisation to get fresh perspectives, especially as we look ahead to the 2024 Paris Olympics and the next FIFA World Cup cycles.”

Nikou lists advocating for equal pay, the unbundling of professional leagues from Football Australia and aligning with global standards as major milestones in his time as Chair as well as its growth to be the number one team-based participation sport in the nation.

He says the game is at its “pinnacle” both “commercially and in terms of national prestige”.

“Football has always held a special place in the heart of Australians. The foundations that have been established ensure a prosperous trajectory for Football Australia and the sport.”

In what is a changing of the guard, two top positions in the sport have seen a Greek move on as earlier this week fellow Greek Australian Kimon Taliadoros stepped down as CEO of Football Victoria.

The new Chair will be elected following the AGM on November 22.

Neos Kosmos contacted FA for comments but they could not provide clarification at the time.