FFA chief executive David Gallop said the policy aimed to promote football as Australia’s most inclusive,accessible and multicultural sport.
“The very name and logo of a club sends a message about what that club stands for,’’ he said. ‘‘We want clubs that stand for uniting people through the joy of football.’’
A strict reading of the new rules might suggest that names with English or Scottish connotations - such as Rangers or Rovers - would be banned,but it was unclear just how strictly the rules would be applied.
The policy has provoked rumblings on social media,with some fans complaining it is racist.
Sydney’s Fairfield-based Marconi Stallions,with Italian heritage,said not everyone would agree with the change.
Marconi football operations manager Jesse Mariani said the naming and branding of clubs told a story about their heritage.
"[It would be] taking away the sense of where football came from,"he said.