A recently released external investigation finds major compliance and accountability failures connected to the taxpayer-funded “Football in Schools” program, worth $14.5 million. The inquiry focuses on Western Sydney Wanderers and Macarthur Bulls, concluding that there are significant problems in how aspects of the scheme are managed and documented. According to the findings, the clubs’ records show compliance failures, including shortcomings in meeting required obligations. The investigation also raises concerns about attendance figures reported under the program, saying some attendance numbers are not verified. In addition, the report identifies expenses that it describes as unjustified, suggesting that some costs cannot be supported to the level expected under the program’s requirements. The sources describe the findings as damning, characterizing the issues as systemic rather than isolated. Both outlets report the same core allegations and the same allocation figure, citing the external investigation as the basis for the criticism and questioning of the clubs’ use of public funds.