When Football, Music, and Community Collide: KIIS FM Visits Maccabi FC

What do KIIS FM, football, delicious food, and unmatched community spirit have in common? On Monday night, August 3rd, Maccabi FC Caulfield proved that when you bring them all together, magic happens.

It all started with a simple nomination. Longtime club member Shalom put Maccabi FC forward for a visit from the KIIS FM crew, Kerry, Olivia, Darcy, Harry, Jo, Will & Woody. A quick phone call between KIIS and Club President Ari—whose U14 Girls team includes Shalom’s daughter—sparked an invitation to drop by their Monday night training session.

What began as a modest visit quickly snowballed into a vibrant, club-wide celebration. The team rallied to arrange a full BBQ, queue up the tunes, and challenge the radio crew to a game of football with the girls. Interestingly enough, the announcement of the event brought a fresh wave of inspiration to Ari’s team, the U14 Vine: after a tough season, the news seemed to unleash their winning streak!

By 6:00 PM, the atmosphere at Caulfield Park was electric. As the KIIS crew set up their tent alongside the U14 Vine session, the grill fired up. Soon, upbeat music and the irresistible aroma of sizzling sausages drifted across the pitch, drawing players and families from all over the park. Before long, a lively queue formed, with dynamic energy filling the air as people grabbed a sausage, picked up a ball, and joined in the fun.

The executive Producer of KIIS was super impressed saying: “We came expecting to visit a football team and found an entire community. The energy, warmth and passion around the club were amazing.”

The KIIS crew jumped straight into the action, competing in friendly matches and sharing laughs with players of all ages. By the time the night wrapped up at 8:30 PM, the radio crew was left genuinely awestruck by the heat, passion, and tight-knit unity of the Maccabi FC family.

President Ari commented on the night, “What began as a radio show coming to a single training session became a night of shared memories, stronger connections and a celebration of our community. This is everything we’re building at Maccabi: a club where football brings people together, connections grow and moments like these become everlasting memories.”

Ari added, “My heartfelt thanks go out to everyone at Maccabi who helped make this event so memorable. There are simply too many of you to name, but you know who you are. People like you are the reason this club has such a huge heart—one that truly loves and embraces our entire community.”

It was an unforgettable evening—a powerful reminder of how sport and community can bring people together to create something truly special.