Football Queensland’s Walktober events support Walking Football

Avatar
Walktober

Football Queensland have announced the launch of Walktober as an initiative to encourage social connection through sport.

Walktober will see a series of five Walking Football events take place across the month of October with inclusion and encouragement at the forefront.

The announcement of Walktober is a timely one, with repeated lockdowns across the state affecting so many throughout Queensland and Australia as a whole. Football is a social sport that can be a significant tool in reintegrating and reconnecting with others.

Walktober will include two Carnivals for existing players and three social Come & Try Carnivals for new participants to experience football in a welcoming, non-competitive environment.

Football Queensland CEO Robert Cavallucci cited Walktober as a month-long event that encourages people of all ages, cultures and abilities to get involved in the game.

“Walking Football is a modified version of the game played on reduced sized fields, suitable for all players no matter their ability or experience,” Cavallucci said.

“The low-impact nature of Walking Football allows participants to remain active and engaged with football without worrying about the speed of the game or the chances of suffering an injury.

“In keeping with the ‘Social Connections’ theme of Seniors Month in October, Walktober will use football, the state’s most popular team sport, to encourage active lifestyles and teamwork amongst Queenslanders.

“Football Queensland will host Walking Football Carnivals for both experienced players and newcomers to the sport in Brisbane, Toowoomba, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast.

Cavallucci went on to reflect further on the buzz that has been generated by Walking Football across the state and the events that are set to follow through Walktober.

“Walktober will be followed by the Pan Pacific Masters Games on the Gold Coast in November, which will include Walking Football for the first time,” Cavallucci added.

“We have already seen great engagement in our Walking Football programs from Queenslanders of all ages, genders and cultural backgrounds, and we encourage everyone to assemble a team and sign up for a Walktober event.”

Previous ArticleNext Article

Fremantle City Launches 2026 NPL Season with Focus on Youth and Community

Avatar
Image Credit: Football West

Fremantle City FC has officially launched its 2026 New Balance NPL WA Men’s and Women’s seasons, championing a community-first approach that puts young players at the heart of the club’s future.In a vibrant ceremony at Hilton Park, club juniors presented first-team shirts to senior Men’s and Women’s squads, symbolising a critical pathway from grassroots to elite football within the Fremantle family.

“This is very important for us- our juniors presenting shirts to our NPL Women’s and Men’s teams,” said Club President Tony Estrano. “2026 is the ninth year of our academy, running from under-nines up to under-16s, for both boys and girls. Today’s shirt handover by our Under 13s Academy and JDL teams shows these kids there is a real pathway to the first team.”

Head coach Samantha Geddes has reaffirmed the sentiment, emphasising Freo’s commitment to club unity: “Getting the whole club involved like this is brilliant. It’s great for our young girls to see that connection to the senior team and for senior players to inspire and support the next generation.”

Momentum and Ambition for 2026

Fremantle’s Women’s side enters 2026 riding high after a historic State Cup triumph last season, with captain Annabelle Leek setting her sights even higher: “Winning the State Cup was massive. We’re ready to build on that momentum, with new signings and a renewed focus on finishing in the top four.”

On the men’s side, after avoiding relegation last year and freshening up the roster with key signings, captain Cam Edwards is confident: “We’re ambitious, and with this group, we know we can put on a good show.”

Fremantle City has committed itself to turning club culture and youth pathways into on-field results, inspiring the next generation to wear the crest at every level.

FQ Reinstates WinterFest 2026 at the Sunshine Coast

Avatar
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.

Most Popular Topics

Editor Picks

Send this to a friend