Key Points
- Players' contracts and ticket holders' information are among the data that could have been exposed in the leak.
- Football Australia says it's investigating the reported breach "as a priority".
- Socceroos coach Graham Arnold says his players remain focused on tomorrow's game against South Korea.
Football Australia is investigating reports that the private information of fans and players has been leaked as part of a possible cybersecurity breach.
The football governing body on Thursday issued a brief statement in response to media reports.
"Football Australia is aware of reports of a possible data breach and is investigating the matter as a priority," the statement read.
"Football Australia takes the security of all its stakeholders seriously.
"We will keep our stakeholders updated as we establish more details."
Graham Arnold says that while his players are aware of the data breach on Football Australia's website, right now their primary concern is advancing to the Asian Cup semifinals. Source: AAP / Bianca De Marchi
A research team working for the website could not quantify the amount of exposed data, but pointed to Football Australia having enabled public access by not securing a digital key.
Socceroos coach Graham Arnold insisted news of the potential breach hadn't affected his players or staff in the lead-up to Australia's Asian Cup quarter-final in Qatar.
"Obviously we're aware of it, but it's no distraction at all," he told reporters at Thursday's pre-match media conference.
"The FA are onto it and we're just here to focus on the tournament."
The Socceroos play South Korea on Friday evening (Saturday 2.30am AEDT).
