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Australian singer-songwriter Emmanuel Kelly has called on the country’s major sporting organisations to give more opportunities to emerging performers, particularly those with disabilities.

Kelly, who appeared at the half-time show during this summer’s FIFA World Cup final, criticised Australian media and sports bodies for continuing to favour established acts over new talent.

In a video posted on Instagram, he said he wanted to see more young Australian performers given the chance to appear at major events, with a particular focus on what he calls the “outlier community”.

“For years, Australia used to dominate the world when it came to uplifting and endorsing new talent,” he said.

“Now I want to focus in particular on the differently abled, or disabled community, or as I like to call it: the outlier community.”

Kelly said that despite his own performances on major stages, he had not been booked for a global event in Australia unless it was to mark National Disability Week.

“That's not on. That's not what this community wants,” he said.

“We don't want to be booked just as a tick box. We want to be seen as the extraordinary talent that we are.”

He highlighted Australian performers Eliza Hull, Sean Millis and Elly-May Barnes as examples of artists who, he said, continued to struggle to secure bookings at major international events.

Kelly also criticised the Australian Football League (AFL) and National Rugby League (NRL), arguing that the sporting competitions had the reach to help emerging artists build their careers.

“The AFL and the NRL are global forums. These are forums that can uplift and enable. And instead, we're constantly choosing to regress. I see this as a form of discrimination,” he said.

He urged organisers to reconsider their approach to entertainment bookings, adding: “So change your act, find the present, and book for the future. We have to do better, Australia.”