Club Value Rankings 2026: What it Means for Queensland’s Football Academies

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Image credit: Football Queensland

The 2026 Football Queensland Academy Leagues Club Value Index (CVR) has just been released.

This aggregated metric measures the value for money that each club delivers with respect to their SHIELD weighting and performance output. Over the last five years, the 2026 Football Queensland Academy Leagues Club Value Index has provided valuable insight to parents and stakeholders by offering a transparent, evidence-based, and non-partisan evaluation of which clubs are effectively converting resources into high-quality development programs.

Understanding the Club Rank Score (CRS)

At the heart of the program is the Club’s Rank Score (CRS), which ranks clubs according to a longevity-focused framework. It analyses key criteria, such as opportunities for progression, equity, and safety, producing a merit-based reflection of FQ Academy Club quality. While the CRS reliably examines a club’s overall performance, it does not consider cost-efficiency or gender inequalities.

How the Club Value Ranking Index Improves Analysis

The Club Value Ranking Index fills this gap. Using the CRS as a foundation, the CVR transforms the data by including additional variables such as gender, registration fees, and SHIELD weightings (gold, silver, bronze) to more accurately quantify cost-efficiency. FQ categorises clubs based on their CRS placement:

  • Gold clubs: 1–10
  • Silver clubs: 11–24
  • Bronze clubs: 25–32

The data offers a unique assessment of how clubs perform relative to their SHIELD tier and costs, including performance by gender. This year’s data shows that clubs investing in both male and female player development perform significantly better.

Correlation Between SHIELD Tier and CVR

When transformed, the Club Value Ranking still shows a correlation between SHIELD tier and higher ranking:

  • Of 10 gold-tier clubs, 7 make the top 10 in the CVR.
  • Of 8 bronze-tier clubs, 6 are in the bottom 10 in CVR.

As such, the algorithm is particularly relevant to silver-tier clubs, which are dispersed more widely in the CVR.

Outliers and Key Findings

Notable examples include:

  • Samford Rangers: 21st in CRS → 1st in CVR
  • Brisbane Strikers: 14th in CRS → last in CVR
  • Brisbane City: 5th in CRS → 17th in CVR
  • North Lakes United: 26th in CRS → 10th in CVR

These results highlight clubs that deliver high-quality outcomes relative to their resources, isolating both overperformers and underperformers.

Changes From Last Year

Since last year, 12 more clubs were added. Examples include:

  • Redlands United: 1st in last year’s CVR → now falls to 27th
  • Gold Coast Knights: rose from 20th in CVR to 8th in 2025

This demonstrates the CVR’s ability to provide nuanced assessments beyond pure CRS performance.

Implications for Families and Stakeholders

The 2026 Football Queensland Academy Leagues Club Value Index offers a more complete picture of club performance by balancing quality, cost efficiency, and gender-inclusive development. While limitations remain cultural and demographic differences between clubs affect outcomes, the index gives families, coaches, and stakeholders an empirical tool for informed decision-making.

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FQ Reinstates WinterFest 2026 at the Sunshine Coast

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Image Credit: Football Queensland

Football Queensland (FQ) has confirmed WinterFest, the state’s premier junior football carnival, will return to the Sunshine Coast from 1 to 5 July 2026; this time at a new home in the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC).

Delivered in partnership with Sunshine Coast Council and Visit Sunshine Coast, the five-day carnival will span USC and Sunshine Coast Wanderers FC, hosting Under 9 to Under 11 Boys and Under 11 Girls teams from every corner of the state.

WinterFest is not simply a competition. Within FQ’s development framework, the carnival serves a dual function, to expose elite junior players to FQ Technical staff, whilst providing emerging referees with live matchday experience under the guidance of senior officials.

“The carnival plays an important role in nurturing not only our most promising young players, who can showcase their abilities in front of FQ Technical staff who continue to monitor their ongoing development, but also our cohort of emerging referees from across Queensland,” said Ryan Fett, FQ General Manager- Football, Infrastructure & Club Development.

The shift to USC is deliberate. FQ has signalled an intention to elevate the event experience year-on-year, and a university campus venue, with its infrastructure and capacity, reflects that ambition more than a traditional football ground would.

Beyond the Pitch

The tournament’s footprint, however, extends well beyond the pitch. With thousands of visiting families descending on the region across five days, WinterFest functions as a significant economic activation for the Sunshine Coast during what is otherwise a quieter winter period.

“WinterFest brings enormous energy to the region, the USC and Buderim fields will be buzzing and the talent on show outstanding,” said Sunshine Coast Resilient Economy Portfolio Councillor Terry Landsberg.

The language- “Resilient Economy”- is worth noting. Landsberg’s portfolio title alone signals how local government now frames junior sport: not as community goodwill, but as economic infrastructure.

His reference to Brisbane 2032 made that explicit. “As we move closer to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, these experiences are invaluable for aspiring athletes and equally important for boosting local tourism and supporting our businesses during the winter period.”

Whether a regional Under 11 carnival genuinely feeds an Olympic pipeline is debatable. What isn’t is that the political incentive to frame it that way, with 2032 drawing every level of government into the orbit of sport, is very real.

Football NSW partners with Deploy for Association Championships

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Image credit: Deploy Football

In an announcement released on Thursday this week, Football NSW revealed Deploy as the Naming Rights Partner of the Football NSW Association Championships.

New competition, new talents

The Association Championships, set to take place in July 2026 at Glen Willow Regional Sports Complex in Mudgee, will replace the former Association Youth League.

Although the tournament has changed name, its purpose remains consistent: giving youth players the platform to showcase their talent on the football pitch.

In a display of unity and collective ambition, 18 Associations across New South Wales will enter representative teams, each one featuring gifted grassroots players looking to prove themselves against their peers.

“The Deploy FNSW Association Championships will provide a fantastic platform for our Associations to come together and celebrate the best of elite community football,” said Football NSW CEO, John Tsatsimas via official press release.

“This tournament is all about giving young players, coaches, and referees from every corner of the state a chance to shine and develop in a competitive, supportive environment.”

The partnership between Deploy and Football NSW, therefore, is not merely about a name alteration. It is a collaboration which presents future grassroots talents with a platform and opportunity to compete.

 

Built on shared values

No partnership can succeed without both parties sharing a common goal or set of values. In this case, the alliance between Football NSW and Deploy is built on a commitment to supporting grassroots football and supplying players with quality resources and experiences to showcase their talent.

“Deploy is proud to partner with Football NSW as the Naming Rights Partner of the Association Championships. Community sport plays a vital role in bringing people together and building future leaders, both on and off the field,” explained Chief Commercial Officer at Deploy, Kurt Johnson.

“As long-time partners with Football NSW, this aligns perfectly with our strategy of creating balls designed for each age and skill level of the game, ranging from junior training balls to professional match balls perfect for the competitive environment like the Association Championships.”

Furthermore, with hundreds of participants including players, referees, coaches and supporters due to attend the tournament, the partnership’s impact will extend right across the state of New South Wales.

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