Known as the NATSISAs, the awards recognise 33 finalists across 11 different categories, celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations making their mark across Australian sport.
Presented by the National Indigenous Sports Foundation, managed by the Indigenous Sports Network and NITV as the offical media partner, the ceremony will take place on Saturday 7 November at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where this year’s winners will all be revealed.
Rugby league legend and Anaiwan man Dean Widders and proud Gudjula and Erubian woman and multi-award winning touch football, rugby union and rugby league player Bo de la Cruz will host the evening’s proceedings.
Both De la Cruz and Widders are familiar faces to NITV audiences as hosts of the network’s flagship rugby league program, Over The Black Dot.
The event will also see Australian sporting legend and Olympic gold medallist Cathy Freeman join the celebrations as this year’s special guest speaker.
The awards have previously recognised some of the biggest names including Patty Mills, Lydia Williams, Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Tamika Upton, as well as community organisations such as Walgett Aboriginal Connection and Rumbalara Football Netball Club all being celebrated and added to the list of NATSISA winners.
National Senior/Elder Sportsperson of the Year:
Adrian “Ringo” Morgan (Australian Rules Football)
National Junior Sportsperson of the Year:
Sportsperson with a Disability Award:
Terrence Conway “RJ” (Motorcycling)
Fitzroy Stars Women’s Football Team (Australian Rules Football)
Mob the Marathon (Marathon Running)
National Sports Official of the Year:
National Community Sporting Organisation of the Year:
Fitzroy Stars Football Netball Club (Netball)
John Moriarty Football (Football/Soccer)
National Sporting Competition of the Year:
2026 WA NAIDOC Basketball Carnival (Basketball)
30th UniSport Indigenous Nationals 2026 (University Sport)
Kurrung Sports Carnival (Northern Territory)
National Sports Volunteer of the Year:
Arika Appleby (LESSSSGO Running Club)
Aunty Emma Thomas (Bunurong Sporting Club)
Helen Archibald (Fitzroy Stars Football Netball Club)
National Sports Media Representative of the Year:
Torres Strait Islander Media Association (TSIMA)
The recipients of the National Trailblazer of the Year, supported by NITV and the National Lifetime Achievement Award, supported by the Australian Sports Museum, will also be announced on the night.
Stay up to date across NITV as the winners are announced on Saturday, 7 November.
