From Sweden to State League Champions:
How Linus Persson and Tom Wassholm Won Promotion with Floreat Athena.
When Linus Persson and Tom Wassholm left Sweden to play football in Australia, winning a State League title and earning promotion back to the NPL was not a certainty. It was a possibility, and one that required a decision most players never make: leaving the comforts of home behind and backing themselves somewhere new.
Both players had been competing in the Ettan Södra, the fourth tier of Swedish football, before making the move to Perth, as NextStep Soccer Agency placed them both at Floreat Athena in Western Australia. This season they helped the club win State League 1 and secure promotion back to the National Premier League in Western Australia, the second tier of Australian football sitting directly below the professional A-League.
The Move from Sweden to Perth
Sweden has one of the most structured football pyramids in Europe. The Ettan, split into northern and southern conferences, sits at the fourth tier of the Swedish system and is a genuinely competitive level of football. Players competing there are not amateurs. They are serious footballers in a country that takes the game seriously.
Leaving that environment to move to the other side of the world takes conviction. Australia is not a country most Swedish players would immediately consider for a football move, but for Linus and Tom the opportunity made sense. Perth offered competitive football at NPL and State League level, a lifestyle that is difficult to match anywhere in Europe, and a chance to be part of something with genuine ambition.
Linus made the decision after getting in contact with NextStep. Jake handled everything from Sweden, sorting the club contact, the negotiations, and the logistics while Linus was still at home preparing for the move.
As Linus put it: “Working with Jake and NextStep Soccer Agency is probably the best decision in my life. He helped me sort everything with my current club Floreat Athena, all of this when I was in Sweden and he was in Australia. He made my decision easy to move here and play football, which proved to be the best decision of my life.”
What Floreat Athena Means in Western Australian Football
Floreat Athena is one of the most established clubs in Western Australian football. Founded in 1956 and historically one of the strongest clubs in the state, the club has spent periods competing at NPL level and has a passionate, predominantly Greek supporter base in Perth.
This season the club competed in State League 1, Football West’s second tier, with promotion back to the NPL as the target. Linus and Tom were part of a squad that delivered exactly that. Winning the State League 1 title and earning promotion back to the NPL is a significant achievement for the club and a meaningful one for both players personally.
What This Means for Players Considering Australia
The story of Linus and Tom is worth reading beyond the result itself. Two players and friends from a serious European football background, competing at a level that commands respect in their home country, chose to move to Australia and immediately contributed to a title-winning season.
That speaks to two things. The standard of football in Australia is more competitive than you may think, and it attracts players from football cultures around the world. And arriving with the right club confirmed, rather than landing and searching, makes all the difference to how quickly a player settles and contributes.
The players who struggle in those first months are almost always the ones who arrive without a club and spend weeks finding their feet. Linus and Tom arrived with a purpose, with their results and performances reflecting that.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is State League 1 in Western Australia?
State League 1 is the second tier of football in Western Australia, governed by Football West. It sits directly below the National Premier Leagues WA, which is itself the second tier of Australian football below the professional A-League. Winning State League 1 earns promotion to the NPL.
What is the NPL in Australia?
The National Premier Leagues is a network of state-based competitions that sit directly below the professional A-League. Each state runs its own NPL competition. Football Australia sanctions the NPL as the second tier of Australian football and clubs at this level recruit seriously, pay match fees, and in some cases offer accommodation or coaching roles to players.
Can Swedish players play football in Australia?
Yes. Players from most countries can play in Australian competitions. The Working Holiday Visa is available to Swedish nationals and covers 12 months of living and working in Australia with full work rights. NextStep works with players from across Europe and beyond, not exclusively from the UK.
How does NextStep place players into Australian clubs?
NextStep handles everything from the initial player assessment through to club contact, negotiations, and placement confirmation. Players do not need to be in Australia before the process begins. Linus and Tom were still in Sweden when their placement at Floreat Athena was confirmed, with Jake coordinating everything.
Linus Persson and Tom Wassholm are two of the players NextStep has placed into Australian football. Every player we work with arrives with a club confirmed before they travel.
If you are a footballer based in Europe considering a move to Australia, apply here and we will give you an honest assessment of where you fit and what is available at your level.
Related:Should I Move to Australia? | Australia Pathway