Football Queensland’s Walktober events support Walking Football

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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.”

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QLD Government Joins Brisbane Roar and Football Queensland’s Community Program

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Image credit: Brisbane Roar

Brisbane Roar, Football Queensland (FQ), and the Queensland Government (QLD) have partnered to give more young people the chance to play football in the sunshine state.

Under the ‘Active! Queensland’ initiative, the QLD Government will provide a grant to Brisbane Roar’s not-for-profit organisation Roar Recreation and Welfare Limited, extending the Football Queensland and Roar Football in the Community Program.

The funding aims to empower more children to get involved in sport and increase the number of active footballers.

Over 10,000 junior participants are estimated to take part in a range of different activities in the program across 2025.

Brisbane Roar will be responsible for organising over 270 clinics through the scheme, these will include school holiday clinics, community and school programs, training and education, plus game day activities.

Minister for Sport, Tim Mander, outlined the importance of the partnership for Queenslander children.

“To have a healthy community, it is essential that we have an active community,” he said in a press release.

“The physical, social and psychological rewards of sport are enormous, and football plays an important role in seeing these benefits reach young Queenslanders.

“Which is why we are proud to partner with Brisbane Roar to help more local kids enjoy the game, and hopefully set them on a path to years of involvement in sport and active recreation.”

Brisbane Roar Chairman and CEO, Kaz Patafta, expressed his appreciation for the extensive partnership.

“From our ongoing consultation with the Queensland Government, we are beyond grateful to be receiving this support to grow our community programs in collaboration with Football Queensland,” he said via press release.

“With this new funding, Brisbane Roar together with Football Queensland is set to provide more opportunities for local Queensland kids to engage in football, aiming to expand the sport’s reach and impact across the region.

“We’re delighted to be able to provide more opportunities to local Queensland kids to play football as we endeavour to continue growing the game across Queensland.”

The partnership kicked off last Thursday at Suncorp stadium.

Football Queensland Academy leads Northern player development

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Football Queensland

Football Queensland (FQ) has celebrated a successful year of player development in the Northern region across youth and junior football through the FQ Academy.

The FQ Academy is Queensland’s only recognised way for players to achieve state and national team representation and showed significant progress over 2024. The Northern region covers some of Queensland’s rural major hubs, including Townsville, Charters Towers, Ayr and Ingham.

In the Northen region, over 150 players participated in the FQ Acadamy across the U9 to U16 age groups, illustrating the influence of adopting Football Australia’s latest national technical standards.

The success of the FQ Academy in the Northern region was further embellished through the selection of 10 local players in Queensland state teams, to compete at the Girls and Boys National Youth Championships in Melbourne and Wollongong.

FQ General Manager, Football & State Technical Director, Gabor Ganczer, expressed his joy for the achievements in the Northern region.

“2024 has been a tremendous year for football in the Northern region, with significant strides in player development as the FQ Academy continues to play a pivotal role in providing young athletes with access to world-class coaching and competitive platforms that continue to raise the standard of football in the region,” he said via press release.

“The progress seen throughout the region is the result of a sustained, long-term approach to player development, with a focus on upskilling coaches and equipping clubs with the tools and resources they need to ensure all players are supported at every stage of their journey.”  

FQ Senior Manager, Technical (Northern Conference), Michael Edwards applauded the work of the FQ Academy.

“The inclusion of local players in the Queensland state teams highlights the significant impact of the continued investment in Northern football programs, helping to elevate talented athletes to elite levels of competition,” he said in a press release.

“The foundation we’ve laid this year, with the FQ Academy at the forefront, will not only set the stage for greater success in the years to come but also drive the continued growth of football in the Northern region and beyond, ensuring clear and accessible pathways for all players to achieve their goals and reach their full potential.”  

Football Queensland remains committed to developing the level of coaching skill and to enhancing player development in the Northern region in 2025 and beyond.

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