Football Queensland introduces new Futsal pyramid

Staff Writer
Football Queensland Futsal
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Football Queensland (FQ) have announced the launch of the FQ Futsal Premier League in a significant overhaul of the ongoing FQ Futsal competition structure. 

As part of the implementation of the FQ Futsal Strategy, the introduction of the FQ Futsal Premier League will create significant further growth opportunities in the form of a connected futsal pyramid. 

Senior futsal competitions in South East Queensland will be reorganised to build the foundations of a connected futsal pyramid.

FQ will introduce multiple tiers of FQ Futsal Premier Leagues for both senior men and women, with the F-League acting as the highest tier in the Futsal pyramid. 

“This is a monumental moment in the sport as we transition from an organic approach to growing the game, to one that provides clubs and players with a genuine pathway to represent Queensland,” FQ Manager – Futsal Vince Sciacca said. 

“There has been significant interest from existing and emerging futsal clubs wanting to join the state governing body as an FQ affiliated sport; this will provide them with the same level of governance framework such as player registration, competition management and member protection that exists in all other major sports. 

“This is part of the ongoing implementation of the FQ Futsal Strategy which is reforming the game and providing a long term sustainable model for the sport whilst we continue to foster the growth and development of clubs across the state.” 

In the junior competitions, the SEQ Futsal Premier League will be renamed the FQ Academy Futsal League as the top tier of the junior futsal pyramid – which will see the best young players in SEQ go head to head. 

Following its introduction earlier this year, the new FQ Junior Futsal Premier League will form the junior second tier through region based competitions.  

The 2025 season will see the introduction of promotion and relegation within the Queensland futsal pyramid for both senior and junior competitions, offering more opportunities for aspirational futsal clubs and providing a connected pyramid in the state. 

Regional futsal development will also be boosted within the new FQ futsal structure, following on from the successful FQ School Futsal Regional Championships launched this year. 

FQ will deliver the regionally centred competitions for both seniors and juniors to support current and emerging regional competition management centres, providing players with greater pathways and opportunities. 

“This is an exciting opportunity to strengthen pathways for improved player outcomes, further aligning with the national ambition to reimagine the Australian football player development ecosystem,” Football Queensland CEO, Robert Cavallucci said. 

“The implementation of this connected futsal pyramid showcases Football Queensland’s dedication to expanding the FQ Futsal Strategy state-wide.”   

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Project ACL: The initiative leading the way on injury research

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Launched in 2024, the research project recently welcomed two US-based organisations: the National Women’s Soccer League Players Association (NWSLPA) and National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).

 

About Project ACL

Led by FIFPRO, PFA England, Nike and Leeds Beckett University, Project ACL aims to research ACL injuries and understand more about multifactorial risk factors.

After piloting in England’s Women’s Super League (WSL), Project ACL will expand to the NWSL in the US, reflecting the global importance of the project’s research and outcome.

“We are incredibly excited to bring the NWSLPA and NWSL to Project ACL,” said Director of Women’s Football at FIFPRO, Dr. Alex Culvin, via official press release.

“Overall, we believe that player-centricity and collaboration with key stakeholders are central to establishing meaningful change in the soccer ecosystem and that players, competition organisers and stakeholdersaround the world will benefit from Project ACL’s outputs and outcomes.”

Interviews with over 30 players and team surveys across all 12 WSL clubs provided the project’s research team with valuable information about current prevention strategies and available resources.

Furthermore, the project tracks player workload and busy schedule periods during the season through the FIFPRO Player Workload Monitoring tool, therefore gaining insights into the link between scheduling and injury risks.

 

Looking to the data

Project ACL’s partnerships with the WSL – and now the NWSL – are immensely valuable for the future of player welfare in women’s football.

Although ACL injuries affect both male and female athletes, they are twice as likely to occur in women than men. However, according to the NWSL, as little as 8% of sports science research focuses on female athletes.

In Australia, several CommBank Matildas suffered ACL injuries in recent years: Sam Kerr was sidelined from January 2024 to September 2025, Ellie Carpenter for 8 months after suffering the injury while playing for Olympique Lyonnais, and Holly McNamara came back from three ACL’s aged 15, 18 and 20.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. The 2025/26 ALW season saw several ACL incidents, including four in just two weeks.

 

Research, prevent, protect

Injury prevention and research are vital to sport – whether professional or amateur.

But when the numbers are so shocking – and incidents are so common – governing bodies must remember that player welfare comes above all else. Research can inform prevention strategies. Prevention means players can enjoy the game they love.

The work of Project ACL, continuing until 2027, will hopefully protect countless players across women’s football from suffering long-term or recurring injuries.

South Canberra FC Breaks the Mold: Equity-Driven Model Earns ‘Club Changer’ Honour

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South Canberra Football Club has been named Club Changer of the Month for April, in a recognition that reflects a broader shift across Australian football toward rewarding clubs that are actively dismantling the structural barriers limiting women’s access to the game.

The AFC Women’s Asian Cup has just delivered record crowds and unprecedented visibility for women’s football in Australia, and the Club Changer program is now asking what comes next. Its decision to name South Canberra Football Club as Club Changer of the Month for April signals a clear shift in how the program defines contribution: away from participation numbers alone, and toward the equity frameworks that determine whether women stay in the game once they arrive.

South Canberra FC built that framework from the ground up. Established in 2021, the club set out to give women and female-identifying players a safe, inclusive environment to play football at any level. It runs entirely on volunteers, operates as a not-for-profit, and is governed by an all-female committee with 13 of its 14 coaches identifying as female.

 

Building the infrastructure of inclusion

In 2026, the club secured grant funding and put it to work immediately. Two coaches are completing their C Licence qualification, and ten coaches, players and community members have undertaken the Foundations of Football course, which directly tackles the cost and accessibility barriers that exclude women out of coaching pathways.

The club also commissioned a female-specific strength and conditioning program with sports physiotherapists ahead of the 2026 season, targeting injury prevention and explicitly supporting players returning after childbirth.

SCFC’s leadership team draws from LGBTIQ+ individuals, First Nations people and veterans, strengthening the club’s connection to the communities it was built to represent.

The Club Changer program is backing clubs that do this work- clubs that treat equity as infrastructure rather than aspiration. At a moment when Australian football is under pressure to turn its biggest-ever surge of women’s interest into something lasting, SCFC’s model offers a clear answer to the question of how.

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