Football Queensland releases positive 2023 Annual Report including strong participation numbers

Football Queensland (FQ) have released their 2023 Annual Report which suggests state-wide growth in all areas and shows the strides it has made in its long-term strategic development across the state.

Football Queensland had a plan in 2020 to stabilise and grow its financial performances across the short-term future and were able to do that to full effect in 2023.

FQ delivered a record total revenue of $20,016,537 ($8.8m in 2020), and net assets of $5.3m, with a cumulative surplus of $2.5m.

In recent years, FQ has actively sought to diversify the organisation’s revenue streams by targeting growth in commercial income which this year saw an impressive 267% increase.

This placed downward pressure on registration fees which were reduced by nearly 30% in 2022.

As expected, a major influence in the increase of participation was the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup that inspired many around the country.

Football Queensland reported an 11.1% increase in state-wide participation post-FWWC23.

Football in Queensland is thriving, with 308 clubs and more than 300,000 players in 2023, the game stands as the state’s largest team and club-based participation sport, delivering significant social and community benefits both on and off the field.

For the first time ever, the Grand Finals of NPL Queensland and FQPL 1 Men and Women competitions were played at Suncorp Stadium which provided a platform to showcase Queensland’s top footballers on the prestigious stage.

As a result of this historic season, the digital broadcast reach and live stream viewership also experienced significant growth in 2023, particularly for the women’s competitions which recorded a viewership increase of 231.34%.

FQ have an ongoing commitment to promote women and girls in football, with dedicated programs and activations in place to reach their 50/50 gender parity goal by 2027.

In 2023, women & girls participation grew 8% on 2022 with a total of 31,239 outdoor club-based female players involved.

MiniRoos Club Girls growth was 5% with over 43,000 participants in 2023 providing an insight into how bright the future is in the state for women’s football.

There was a 28% increase in female coaches in 2023 across all different levels with development a key target for FQ.

Futsal participation had a 28% increase as well with FQ cracking over 10,000 participants for the first time.

FQ CEO Robert Cavallucci explained the encouraging numbers from the report and spoke on the future vision of FQ.

“2023 was another huge year for football in Queensland, as we worked to continue the momentum and success of the initiatives outlined in FQ’s 2023-2026 One Football Strategic plan which delivered a clear and comprehensive framework to foster growth of the game,” he said in a statement.

“Football Queensland has outlined our bold target of 50/50 gender parity in participation by 2027 and already in the first quarter of 2024 we have seen a remarkable 44% growth in outdoor female players.

“While we can attribute some of this success to the amplification effect of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, FQ’s strategic commitment and deployment of initiatives and programs in the lead up and post the event have played a crucial role in capturing and funnelling this growth in demand for our game.

“As we continue to record strong growth across the state and strive to meet the demands of our current base, it is absolutely critical that we as a governing body continue to advocate strongly for infrastructure investment in our game at a local, state and federal level on behalf of our clubs and participants.

“FQ launched multiple brand-new tournaments in 2023 to continue to strengthen the connected football pyramid, linking FQPL football tiers and maximising competitive opportunities for players, including the Kappa Pro Series and the expanded Mitre FQPL Champions League.

“The new futsal pyramid announced in 2023 aims to unify the delivery of futsal products, including the launch of the new Queensland Futsal Cup which provides further pathways for Queensland players to strive for national success.

“FQ’s ongoing focus on coach and referee support and development led to six Queensland match officials being named in the inaugural intake of the Football Australia Referee Academy, as well as the delivery of 223 coaching courses to over 2,800 attendees.

“On behalf of Football Queensland, I’d like to acknowledge the support of our Football Queensland team, Football Australia, State and Local Governments and our official partners throughout 2023, who contributed to a year marked by many historic milestones for our game.”

There are plenty of positives to come out of a year that has shaped the future of women’s football and participation in Queensland.

Queensland showed its ability to host the Women’s World Cup and will get a chance again in 2026 with the Women’s Asian Cup in a bid hopefully to again use the momentum to surge participation growth and their financial stability.

You can read the Annual Report in full here.

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Melbourne Victory’s brand-new infrastructure strategy

Melbourne Victory & SEDA

A-League giant Melbourne Victory has revealed a brand-new extensive infrastructure strategy to foster and support tomorrow’s footballing stars.

The strategic infrastructure plan set out by Victory will aim to develop youth and women’s football programs by providing improved access to world class footballing facilities and player pathways across Victoria.

To achieve this, Melbourne Victory has opted for a campus model to enable players access to connected and consistent facilities across the North, East, South and West of Melbourne, all within an hour’s journey of Victory’s club administrative centre and the A-League Men’s training facilities at Gosch’s Paddock.

The club also intends to build another campus within the Melbourne city centre, with the first campus location to be announced by the club soon, as it continues to review and assess possible sites across the city.

Melbourne Victory Chairman, John Dovaston, explained why the club had chosen the campus model.

“The announcement of this project, and the direction taken, is aimed at ensuring we are best placed to attract and retain football talent across the State,” he said in a press release.

“Our innovative approach will allow us to have a number of campuses with not only an elite focus, but also, an eye on building our community to ensure that all Victorians have an opportunity to participate and engage in our game.”

Melbourne Victory Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, outlined why the new infrastructure strategy was so important to the club.

“It is well understood that sport and football can influence social cohesion, and it’s our responsibility as a Club to establish infrastructure and programs that can positively impact members of the community, regardless of gender, background or location, whether that be through training the next generation of football stars, or using football as a vehicle to lead, unite, connect and inspire the community more broadly,” she said via press release.

“By enabling Victory to connect with communities across the North, South, East, and West of AAMI Park, our spiritual home, we can truly grow the Victory family and set new standards for elite facilities in our Pathway and community programs.”

The infrastructure project is an important move for the club, allowing it to grow, improve and future-proof its current suite of footballing programs. Currently, Victory operates nine elite and 23 pathway programs, providing services to over 16,000 participants across Victoria. Through the campus model, the club hopes it will be able to more efficiently develop the new generation of A-League and national team players.

“The priority is to provide not just an entry point for individuals to engage and participate in football, but to keep them engaged and provide a holistic journey to grow the Victory family across the State,” Carnegie continued.

“We are excited about the opportunities that the project can provide and the potential for growth for our Club and for football in the future.”

Melbourne Victory will continue to issue updates as it sets on the 5-year-plus journey to complete the entire project. For more information on the club’s major infrastructure strategy, access the plan HERE.

 

PFA issues legal threat to Premier League over new financial rules

The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) has issued a legal threat to the Premier League, warning of potential legal action if new financial rules are passed without union consultation and approval.

The PFA alleges that the league and its clubs have deliberately withheld critical information about the proposed squad cost rules (SCR) and top-to-bottom anchoring (TBA). These changes, according to the union, could severely impact player wages and club finances.

Legal Warning Over SCR and TBA

The Premier League and its 20 clubs voted on the proposed rules during a meeting on 13 February. In a letter addressed to the league and its stakeholders, the PFA’s legal team stated they “anticipate being instructed to commence legal proceedings” if the rules are approved without adequate consultation with the union.

The union has demanded a written guarantee from the league by 4 pm on 11 February, confirming its intention to fully consult the PFA on the matter. Failure to do so will also trigger legal action.

The PFA described the proposed squad cost rules and top-to-bottom anchoring system as “fundamentally flawed” and expressed deep concerns about their potential consequences for players and clubs alike.

What Are the SCR and TBA?

The squad cost rules (SCR) would limit clubs to spending a maximum of 85 per cent of their revenue on squad-related expenses, aligning with similar rules introduced by UEFA. From next season, UEFA plans to reduce its revenue-to-spending cap to 70 per cent for clubs involved in its competitions.

The top-to-bottom anchoring (TBA) system, however, is more contentious. It would enforce a strict cap on how much a club can spend on squad costs, calculated as five times the amount received by the club earning the least from central Premier League funds.

Critics, including the PFA, argue that TBA effectively introduces an indirect cap on player salaries. Some clubs, such as Manchester United and Manchester City, have also expressed opposition to the proposal, fearing it would weaken their ability to compete with elite European teams.

Accusations of Withholding Information

The PFA has accused the Premier League of failing to follow proper consultation protocols, which are required for any matters impacting player wages or conditions.

Under the rules, the Premier League and English Football League (EFL) must consult with the PFA through the Professional Game Negotiating and Consultative Committee (PFNCC). Any changes that affect players cannot proceed without the union’s agreement.

However, the PFA’s lawyers, Mills and Reeve, claim the Premier League missed its own deadline to provide an updated version of the SCR before Christmas. Instead, clubs received the document on 9 January—too late for meaningful discussions during a PFNCC meeting held on 8 January.

The union further alleges it only received the full 87-page SCR manual after an ad-hoc PFNCC meeting on 20 January, despite indications that clubs had access to the document as early as July last year.

PFA’s Position on the Financial Rules

The PFA remains firmly opposed to the introduction of TBA, stating it imposes an unnecessary cap on player wages under the guise of financial regulation.

The union believes such measures are not only unfair to players but also risk undermining the competitiveness of Premier League clubs on the international stage.

In their letter to the Premier League’s legal team at Linklaters, the PFA’s lawyers described the handling of the proposed financial rules as “flagrant breaches” of the league’s obligations to consult with the union.

As the 13 February vote has taken place, the tension between the PFA and the Premier League appears to be escalating, with the prospect of legal proceedings looming should the union’s demands for consultation remain unmet.

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